Question 1

Beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, relationship studies started to:

Accepted Answer

Relationship studies in the 1960s and 1970s began to emphasize laboratory experiments to better understand interpersonal dynamics in controlled settings.

Question 2

The work of Donn Byrne and his colleagues in the 1960s on attitude similarity in liking is important in the history of relationship science because it demonstrated that:

Accepted Answer

Donn Byrne's work showed that relationships could be studied rigorously in a controlled laboratory setting, providing a scientific approach to understanding interpersonal attraction and the role of attitude similarity.

Question 3

Which of the following types of research questions seeks to determine if an event has a meaningful effect on a subsequent outcome?

Accepted Answer

Causal research questions are designed to determine whether one event or variable has a meaningful effect on another, establishing a cause-and-effect relationship.

Question 4

Which of the following types of samples are defined as samples that are composed of anyone who is readily available and consents to participate in a research study?

Accepted Answer

Convenience samples are composed of individuals who are readily available and willing to participate, making them easy to recruit but not necessarily representative of the larger population.

Question 5

Samantha posted an advertisement on the Internet requesting single mothers to participate in a research study on single parenting. She found that those who signed up for the study were better educated and earned a higher income than average. This demonstrates:

Accepted Answer

Volunteer bias occurs when the individuals who choose to participate in a study have different characteristics than those who do not, potentially skewing the results. In this case, the single mothers who volunteered were better educated and had higher incomes, indicating a volunteer bias.

Question 6

Which of the following is the most common means of studying intimate relationships?

Accepted Answer

Self-reports are the most common means of studying intimate relationships because they allow researchers to gather data directly from individuals about their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors in relationships.

Question 7

In relationship studies, self-reports can be obtained through:

Accepted Answer

Verbal interviews are a common method for obtaining self-reports in relationship studies, as they involve participants directly reporting their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Question 8

An advantage of self-report data is that:

Accepted Answer

Self-report data are advantageous because they are inexpensive and easy to obtain, allowing researchers to gather large amounts of data quickly and at a lower cost compared to other methods that might require more resources or specialized equipment.

Question 9

A couple who participated in a study on personal finance reported the new monthly expenditures far less than their actual expenditures. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

This is an example of social desirability bias, where individuals report information in a way that will be viewed favorably by others, often underreporting undesirable behaviors or overreporting desirable behaviors.

Question 10

Jane observes conversations between strangers in public spaces and keeps track of the number of times they smile in a given period. Which of the following research tools is being employed here?

Accepted Answer

Jane is using a coding procedure, which involves observing specific behaviors (in this case, smiling) and recording their occurrence, to systematically collect data from her observations.

Question 11

Relationship studies involve all of the following research challenges EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D because relationship studies, like other forms of social science research, often aim to identify patterns, trends, or principles that can be generalized beyond the specific subjects studied. While there are challenges in generalization, it is not accurate to say that such research lacks usefulness or only applies to the couples studied. The other options (A, B, C) accurately describe common challenges in relationship research, such as dealing with non-independent data, statistical uncertainties, and complex influences.

Question 12

What are meta-analyses?

Accepted Answer

Meta-analyses are research methods that statistically combine the results of several studies on a specific topic to derive a more comprehensive understanding or conclusion than any single study could provide. This approach allows for a broader analysis of data, increasing the statistical power and resolution of findings regarding the topic of interest.

Quiz 2: Research Methods