Professor Tyrone is interested in studying how the use of media (such as having the television on, answering text messages, or listening to an I-pod) affects students' ability to study for their courses. It would be better if she got permission to look up the students' grade point average than to simply ask the students to self-report their grade point average because
A) they might not correctly report their grade point average in an attempt to make themselves look better to the researcher.
B) students don't pay much attention to grades, so many may not have this information in their memory.
C) grade point averages change so frequently that it is difficult for students to accurately recall what it is.
D) it won't be clear to students what information Professor Taylor is looking for when she asks about their grade point average.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Self-report data can be subject to social desirability bias, where people may not want to admit to something negative or may want to exaggerate something positive. In this case, students may not accurately report their grade point average in an attempt to look good to the researcher. Getting permission to access official grade records would provide more accurate data.

Professor Tyrone Is Interested in Studying How the Use of Media