A forensic psychologist conducts a study of fear of crime and crime rates in a small city.His hypothesis is that fear of crime is high in areas with moderate crime rates and low in areas with low and high crime rates.Using a map of housing to create a sampling frame he mails a questionnaire to a random sample of 100 residents in six areas: two with moderate crime rates, two with low crime rates and two with high crime rates.Of the 600 questionnaires 350 are returned (180 in the low-crime areas, 100 in the moderate-crime areas, and 70 in the high-crime areas).Which of the following statements is true?
A)The low return rate in the high-crime area is not a concern as the questionnaires were probably stolen.
B)The low return rate in the high-crime area is a concern as the questionnaires were probably stolen and that violates the ethical principle of integrity.
C)The different return rates from the different areas could introduce bias into the results.
D)The different return rates represent a threat to the internal validity of the research.
E)Both (c)and (d).

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The different return rates from the different areas could introduce bias into the results as people who are more afraid of crime may be more likely to return the questionnaire. This is a threat to the internal validity of the research as it affects the accuracy of the results. Additionally, the low return rate in the high-crime area is a concern as it suggests that the questionnaires may have been stolen, which violates the ethical principle of integrity. Therefore, both (c) and (d) are correct.

A Forensic Psychologist Conducts a Study of Fear of Crime