Question 1

Which is most clearly an example of a positive (not normative) question?
A)Why doesn't the government provide more money for childcare?
B)Who deserves childcare vouchers more-single working mothers or parents of children with disabilities?
C)Should childcare vouchers cover only licensed day care or also care by a family member?
D)Does receiving a childcare voucher lead to increased family income?

Accepted Answer

Positive economics deals with objective analysis and facts. Choice D, asking about the effect of receiving a childcare voucher on family income, is a question that can be answered through empirical data and analysis, making it a clear example of a positive question.

Question 2

________________ variables represent steps in the causal process leading from the independent to the dependent variable.
A)disjointed
B)unregulated
C)intervening
D)none of the above

Accepted Answer

Intervening variables are those that mediate the relationship between independent and dependent variables, representing steps in the causal process that explain how or why such a relationship exists.

Question 3

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$  Which of the following is NOT a dependent variable in this model?
A)Complaints
B)Adopting a non-emergency city phone number
C)Media coverage
D)Both B and C

Accepted Answer

D

Question 4

Hypotheses are:
A)predictions of what will happen if your theory is correct
B)true statements based upon our research
C)not subject to falsification
D)vague and uncertain

Accepted Answer

Hypotheses are predictions made about the outcome of a study or experiment based on the theory being tested. They are specific, testable statements that forecast the relationship between variables.

Question 5

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$  Which of the following is a mediator (intervening) variable in this model?
A)Perceived reputation of government
B)Media coverage of local government affairs
C)Service quality
D)Adopting a non-emergency city phone number

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers...

Question 6

A ______________ is a graphical or mathematical representation that serves to articulate and communicate a theory.
A)paradigm
B)empirical function
C)model
D)descriptive

Accepted Answer

A model is a graphical or mathematical representation used to articulate and communicate a theory, helping to visualize or predict outcomes based on certain assumptions or data.

Question 7

A study looked at World Bank data on the political stability and economic growth of countries in the worlD .It found that more politically stable countries experienced more economic growth .Which of the following is the unit of analysis in this study?
A)Political stability
B)Economic growth
C)Countries
D)World Bank data
E)None of the above

Accepted Answer

The unit of analysis refers to the main entity being analyzed in a study. In this case, the study is examining the relationship between political stability and economic growth across different countries, making countries the primary unit of analysis.

Question 8

A _____________ represents the objects or things described by the variables in a model, and can also be thought of as the level of aggregation or disaggregation.
A)unit of analysis
B)unit of function
C)unit of ratio
D)unit of idea

Accepted Answer

A unit of analysis represents the objects or things described by the variables in a model, indicating the level of aggregation or disaggregation. It is fundamental in determining how data is collected, analyzed, and interpreted.

Question 9

Theories:
A)Identify key variables
B)Tell causal stories
C)Explain variation
D)All of the above

Accepted Answer

Theories serve multiple purposes in research and analysis, including identifying key variables, telling causal stories (how and why things happen), and explaining variation among cases or phenomena.

Question 10

In the statement, disorder causes crime, disorder is the ____________ variable, and crime is the _______________ variable.
A)independent, dependent
B)intervening, uncertain
C)dependent, independent
D)first, second

Accepted Answer

In research, the independent variable is the one that is considered the cause or the one that is manipulated or changed, while the dependent variable is the outcome or effect. In this statement, disorder is posited as the cause of crime, making disorder the independent variable and crime the dependent variable.

Question 11

The path diagram X$\rightarrow$Y represents a causal theory .An explanation of how change in X produces change in Y is also an important part of the theory; it is called the
A)Causal mechanism
B)Causal model
C)Causal information
D)Causal influence

Accepted Answer

A causal mechanism explains the process or pathway through which a change in one variable (X) leads to a change in another variable (Y) within the context of a causal theory.

Question 12

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$  Which of the following is a moderator variable in this model?
A)Perceived reputation of government
B)Media coverage of local government affairs
C)Service quality
D)Adopting a non-emergency city phone number

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers...

Question 13

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$  Which of the following is NOT an independent variable in the model?
A)Perceived reputation of government
B)Media coverage of local government affairs
C)Complaints
D)Both A and C

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers...

Question 14

Theories are created from a number of sources, including:
A)Grand theories
B)Academic disciplines
C)Induction and deduction
D)All of the above

Accepted Answer

Theories can originate from various sources, including grand theories, which are broad and abstract, academic disciplines that provide specific frameworks and methodologies, and the processes of induction and deduction, which are methods of reasoning and hypothesis testing.

Question 15

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$  What is the unit of analysis in this model?
A)Cities
B)Individuals
C)Complaints
D)Quantitative

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers...

Question 16

In the statement "Raising taxes stifles economic growth" which of the following are true:
A)Taxes is the dependent variable
B)Taxes is the independent variable
C)Economic growth is the independent variable
D)Economic growth and taxes are positively related
E)Both A and C

Accepted Answer

In this statement, "raising taxes" is the action believed to influence the outcome, making taxes the independent variable. Economic growth, being the outcome that is influenced, is the dependent variable, which is not directly listed as an option.

Question 17

A theory has observable implications .In other words, it generates
A)Abstractions
B)Replications
C)Findings
D)Hypotheses

Accepted Answer

A theory generates hypotheses, which are specific, testable predictions derived from the broader theoretical framework. These hypotheses are then empirically tested to examine the theory's validity.

Quiz 2: Theory and Models

Which is most clearly an example of a positive (not normative) question?

________________ variables represent steps in the causal process leading from the independent to the dependent variable.

Hypotheses are:

A ______________ is a graphical or mathematical representation that serves to articulate and communicate a theory.

A study looked at World Bank data on the political stability and economic growth of countries in the worlD .It found that more politically stable countries experienced more economic growth .Which of the following is the unit of analysis in this study?

A _____________ represents the objects or things described by the variables in a model, and can also be thought of as the level of aggregation or disaggregation.

Theories:

In the statement, disorder causes crime, disorder is the variable, and crime is the ___ variable.

The path diagram X $\rightarrow$ Y represents a causal theory .An explanation of how change in X produces change in Y is also an important part of the theory; it is called the

Theories are created from a number of sources, including:

In the statement "Raising taxes stifles economic growth" which of the following are true:

A theory has observable implications .In other words, it generates

Quiz 2: Theory and Models

Which is most clearly an example of a positive (not normative) question?

________________ variables represent steps in the causal process leading from the independent to the dependent variable.

Hypotheses are:

A ______________ is a graphical or mathematical representation that serves to articulate and communicate a theory.

A study looked at World Bank data on the political stability and economic growth of countries in the worlD .It found that more politically stable countries experienced more economic growth .Which of the following is the unit of analysis in this study?

A _____________ represents the objects or things described by the variables in a model, and can also be thought of as the level of aggregation or disaggregation.

Theories:

In the statement, disorder causes crime, disorder is the ____________ variable, and crime is the _______________ variable.

The path diagram X →\rightarrow→ Y represents a causal theory .An explanation of how change in X produces change in Y is also an important part of the theory; it is called the

Theories are created from a number of sources, including:

In the statement "Raising taxes stifles economic growth" which of the following are true:

A theory has observable implications .In other words, it generates

In the statement, disorder causes crime, disorder is the variable, and crime is the ___ variable.

The path diagram X $\rightarrow$ Y represents a causal theory .An explanation of how change in X produces change in Y is also an important part of the theory; it is called the