Question 1

To help accomplish ethical standards, most researchers now must have their research plans reviewed by

Accepted Answer

An institutional review board (IRB) is typically responsible for reviewing and approving research plans to ensure that they meet ethical standards. IBM is a technology company, the IRS is a tax agency, and PBS is a media organization, none of which have a role in reviewing research plans for ethical standards.

Question 2

In __________________(also called "participant observation" or "field research," the researcher spends extensive time with respondents and carefully records their activities, conversations, gestures, and other aspects of everyday life

Accepted Answer

Naturalistic observation involves the researcher immersing themselves in the environment being studied and observing and recording the behaviors, interactions, and other aspects of the participants' natural everyday life. This method allows for in-depth understanding and rich data collection of the social phenomena being studied. Surveys, historical research, and laboratory research do not involve this level of immersion and observation of natural settings.

Question 3

A photograph in the text depicts a mother and her children waiting patiently for medical attention in a neighborhood clinic. Which group of scholars would likely note that the woman is in the child-rearing stage of the family life cycle?

Accepted Answer

Family developmentalists study how families change and develop over time and are likely to note where this mother and her children are in their family life cycle. They would recognize that the mother is likely in the child-rearing stage, as evidenced by the presence of her young children and the need for medical attention for them. The other three groups mentioned would not be as focused on the family life cycle as a framework for understanding this situation.

Question 4

According to the text, one disadvantage of survey research is the

Accepted Answer

The text states that one disadvantage of survey research is the tendency of respondents to say what they think they should say, which is often not their true opinion. The other options are not mentioned as disadvantages of survey research in the text.

Question 5

WWhile part of being a scientist is having objectivity, in reality

Accepted Answer

Total neutrality is impossible for anyone, including scientists. While striving for objectivity is important, it is impossible to completely eliminate personal bias and values from scientific research.

Question 6

A photograph in the text depicts a mother and her children waiting patiently for medical attention in a neighborhood clinic. Which group of scholars might point out that, typically, it is mothers and not fathers who are primarily responsible for their children's health-and ask why?

Accepted Answer

Feminist scholars are concerned with the ways in which gender inequality affects various aspects of life, including healthcare. They may point out that societies often place a disproportionate burden on mothers to care for their children's health, and question why this role is not shared equally with fathers.

Question 7

WWhen conducting __________, researchers ask a series of structured, or closed-ended questions.

Accepted Answer

Surveys are typically composed of structured, closed-ended questions that allow for easy data analysis and comparison across participants. Experiments and longitudinal investigations may use surveys as a data collection method, but they also typically involve other types of data collection. Participant observation is an observational method that typically involves open-ended data collection rather than structured, closed-ended questions.

Question 8

Researchers conducting surveys want their samples to be

Accepted Answer

Researchers want their samples to be representative, meaning they accurately reflect the characteristics of the population they are studying. Simple and unrelated samples may not accurately represent the population, and time-series sampling refers to collecting data over a period of time and is not always necessary for a survey.

Question 9

In the contemporary version of evolutionary theory, it is the survival of one's __________ into future generations that is important.

Accepted Answer

One's genetic material, or DNA, is what gets passed down from generation to generation and is the key factor in determining whether an organism's traits will continue to be selected for in future populations.

Question 10

According to the text, a national sample of approximately __________ persons can validly represent the U.S. population.

Accepted Answer

A national sample of approximately 1,500 persons is often considered sufficient to represent the U.S. population due to statistical sampling methods that allow for accurate representation with a relatively small sample size.

Question 11

The text observes that most people grow up in some form of family and know something about what marriages and families are. But while personal experience provides us with information, it can also act as

Accepted Answer

Personal experience can sometimes limit our understanding and viewpoints, acting as "blinders" that prevent us from seeing alternative perspectives or ways of living.

Question 12

A photograph in the text depicts a mother and her children waiting patiently for medical attention in a neighborhood clinic. Which group of scholars might speculate about whether the child seems to be secure, insecure/anxious or avoidant towards the mother?

Accepted Answer

Attachment theorists focus on the emotional bonds that develop between individuals, particularly between parents and children. They would be interested in analyzing the behavior of the child in the photograph to determine their attachment style and whether they appear to be securely attached to the mother, have an anxious or insecure attachment style, or exhibit avoidant behaviors.

Question 13

A photograph in the text depicts a family waiting patiently for medical attention in a neighborhood clinic. Which group of scholars might remark on the quality of the facilities or speculate about the home that these people live in?

Accepted Answer

Family ecologists focus on the interaction between families and their environment, including the quality of facilities and living conditions.

Question 14

The __________ perspective has its roots in Charles Darwin's principle of the survival of the fittest.

Accepted Answer

The biosocial perspective emphasizes the influence of biology and genetics, as well as environmental and cultural factors, on human behavior and social relationships. It is rooted in Charles Darwin's principle of the survival of the fittest, which suggests that individuals who are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Question 15

The __________ perspective argues that humans' evolutionary biology affects much of human behavior and, more specifically, many family-related behaviors.

Accepted Answer

The biosocial perspective emphasizes the importance of biological and environmental factors in shaping human behavior, including family-related behaviors. It emphasizes that human evolution has impacted our biology, and our biology in turn influences our behavior, such as mate selection, parental investment, and other family-related behaviors. The other options do not specifically focus on biological factors in explaining family behavior.

Question 16

The most generalizable findings are most likely to be found in a survey with

Accepted Answer

A representative sample means that the survey is conducted on a group of people who accurately reflect the larger population being studied. This increases the likelihood that the findings can be generalized to the population as a whole. The size of the study (B) and the use of computerized data analysis (C) can also be important, but a representative sample is the most critical factor in generalizability. Having fewer questions (D) does not necessarily increase generalizability.

Question 17

A photograph in the text depicts a mother and her children waiting patiently for medical attention in a neighborhood clinic. Which group of scholars would be inclined to explore the mother's body language and speculate on what the child is saying nonverbally to the mother?

Accepted Answer

Interaction-constructionists are interested in exploring how individuals create meaning and negotiate their relationships through their actions and communication. They would be inclined to analyze the body language of the mother and children in the photograph to understand the nonverbal cues that they are communicating to each other. They would seek to understand how the mother and children are constructing their relationship and the meaning they are making of their situation. Exchange theorists are more concerned with the exchange of resources in a social system, structure-functionalists focus on the roles and functions of institutions, and family developmentalists are concerned with the stages of development and transitions in families.

Question 18

Representative samples (like Gallup polls) are important to family survey research because they are most likely to

Accepted Answer

Representative samples, such as Gallup polls, are important in family survey research because they reflect the national adult population. This helps to ensure that the findings are generalizable and representative of the wider population, rather than being specific to a particular subgroup or biased towards those who are more likely to participate in the study.

Question 19

Family researchers will often generate a __________, or "educated guess" about the way things are, based on their theoretical orientation.

Accepted Answer

Family researchers often generate a hypothesis, which is an "educated guess" based on their theoretical orientation, to guide their research and help them test their ideas. A multivariate or bivariate analysis refers to specific statistical methods used to analyze data, and a factoid is a piece of information that may or may not be true.

Question 20

A photograph in the text depicts a mother and her children waiting patiently for medical attention in a neighborhood clinic. Which group of scholars might speculate about the woman's personal power and resources relative to others in her family?

Accepted Answer

Exchange theorists focus on the dynamics of power and resources within relationships, making them likely to speculate about the woman's personal power and resources relative to others in her family.

Quiz 2: Exploring Relationships and Families