Question 1

In the context of response sets, a person who tries to present himself or herself in a positive way in a questionnaire is showing _____.

Accepted Answer

Social desirability bias refers to a tendency for respondents to answer questions in a way that presents themselves in a favorable light, which may not necessarily reflect their actual thoughts, feelings or behavior. This bias often occurs when people feel pressure to conform to social norms and expectations, and fear judgement or disapproval from others. It is a common problem in self-report measures and can threaten the validity of research findings.

Question 2

In a survey, participants were asked if they agree with the statement "I like spending my free time with other people." They were also asked if they agree with the statement "I enjoy being alone during my free time." This type of questioning helps in identifying _____.

Accepted Answer

This type of questioning helps in identifying response sets, which refers to a tendency for participants to respond to a series of questions in a similar way without considering each question individually. In this case, response sets might include consistently answering "agree" or "disagree" to all questions regardless of their content. By asking two questions with opposite wordings, researchers can identify participants who tend to respond in a consistent way rather than thoughtfully considering each question.

Question 3

Which statement best defines a response set?

Accepted Answer

A response set is a tendency to respond to all questions from a particular perspective rather than to provide answers that are directly related to the questions. This can lead to bias in the data collected and negatively impact the validity of the research.

Question 4

During question construction, writing questions that are easily understood illustrates _____.

Accepted Answer

Writing questions that are easily understood illustrates simplicity.

Question 5

"Do you agree that elected officials should not be allowed to run for more than two consecutive terms in office?" is an example of a _____ question.

Accepted Answer

The answer of "Do you agree that elected officials should...

Question 6

To test the hypothesis that younger people are more opposed to the use of nuclear energy than older people, the best method would be a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

The best method to test this hypothesis would be a survey where participants are asked their age and their opinion on the use of nuclear energy. This would allow for a comparison between age groups and their attitudes towards nuclear energy. Archival studies involve analyzing existing data and would not necessarily provide information on attitudes towards nuclear energy. A case study would focus on a specific individual or group and may not be representative of the larger population. Naturalistic observation involves observing behavior in a natural environment, which would not be applicable for this hypothesis.

Question 7

"Do you agree that male teenage drivers are more dangerous than female teenage drivers?" is an example of a _____ question.

Accepted Answer

This is a loaded question because it contains an assumption (that male teenage drivers are more dangerous than female teenage drivers) that may lead the respondent to answer in a particular way.

Question 8

"Are you in favor of programs designed to help lower the unreasonably high rent in the county?" is an example of a _____ question.

Accepted Answer

This question is considered "loaded" because it contains a presumption (that the rent is "unreasonably high") which could influence the respondent's answer by framing the issue in a biased way.

Question 9

When researchers ask several questions about a topic, a respondent may employ a response set to agree or disagree with all the questions. Such a tendency is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Yea-saying or nay-saying is the tendency of a respondent to agree or disagree with all questions regardless of their content. This response set bias can lead to inaccurate data and misrepresent the true opinions of the respondents.

Question 10

Instead of providing true responses to questions on a survey, Ali answers in such a way that he could portray a better image of himself. This tendency of Ali to answer questions from a particular perspective is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Ali's tendency to answer in a way that makes him look better is a response set or a response bias. This type of bias is where respondents answer all questions in a survey in a particular way, regardless of the question asked. This behavior can lead to inaccurate survey results. The other options are not relevant to this scenario.

Question 11

In the context of question wording, the question "Proposition Q proposes an increase in property tax to fund road improvement; do you agree with this proposition?" illustrates _____.

Accepted Answer

The question is simple and straightforward, asking whether the respondent agrees with the proposition. There is no negative wording or attempts to manipulate the response through yea-saying or nay-saying, and probability is not relevant to this question.

Question 12

"Should residents of the city spend more money on parks and road improvements?" is an example of a(n) _____ question.

Accepted Answer

This question is considered double-barreled because it asks about two different issues (spending money on parks and road improvements) in one question, making it difficult to answer directly if one agrees with one part but not the other.

Question 13

"Do you agree that the city council members should not get an increase in their pay?" is an example of a _____ question.

Accepted Answer

This question is an example of a negatively worded question because it includes a negative construction ("should not") that could potentially confuse respondents or lead to misinterpretation of the question's intent.

Question 14

_____ are a research tool that is used to ask people to tell us about themselves.

Accepted Answer

Surveys are specifically designed to ask people to report on their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, making them an effective research tool for investigating self-report data. Archival studies involve analyzing pre-existing records, naturalistic observations involve observing behavior in natural contexts, and case studies involve in-depth analysis of a single individual or group.

Question 15

When Edgar responds to the questions in a survey, he answers in a way that would reflect most favorably on him. In this scenario, Edgar's behavior best illustrates social _____.

Accepted Answer

Edgar's behavior reflects social desirability bias, which is the tendency to respond in a way that appears favorable to others or society.

Question 16

Which general type of survey questions is exemplified by the question "Are you satisfied with the emergency services in your city?"

Accepted Answer

The question is asking for the respondent's opinion or perception, which falls under attitudes and beliefs.

Question 17

"Do you think it is important to reduce the huge amount of money spent during festivals?" is an example of a _____ question.

Accepted Answer

This question is considered "loaded" because it contains an assumption (that a huge amount of money is spent during festivals) that might pressure the respondent to agree with the premise, thus influencing their response.

Question 18

In a survey, social desirability response sets can be reduced by:

Accepted Answer

Communicating the purposes and uses of the research can reduce social desirability response sets. When participants understand why the research is being conducted and how their responses will be used, they may be less likely to provide socially desirable answers. It is important to be transparent and clear about the goals of the research in order to obtain more accurate data. A and C are not effective in reducing social desirability response sets, and B is not a valid option as withdrawing feedback would violate ethical principles.

Question 19

Stacy has a difficult time answering the question "Should parents increase the likelihood of desirable behaviors in their children by using reinforcement and punishment?" because it is a(n) _____ question.

Accepted Answer

The question is double-barreled because it asks about two different strategies, reinforcement and punishment, and assumes that they are both effective for increasing desirable behaviors in children. A more precise and specific question would focus on one strategy at a time and explore its effectiveness and potential consequences.

Question 20

During a survey, Alberto was asked to indicate his age, gender, and marital status. Which type of survey questions do these items represent?

Accepted Answer

Age, gender, and marital status are all demographic factors that provide factual information about a person. They do not relate to attitudes, behaviors, or objectives.

Quiz 7: Asking People About Themselves: Survey Research