Exam 15: Multivariate and Advanced Quantitative Methods

Consider a study on how sibling conflict might predict poorer academic performance.If this study is trying to avoid the problem of unmeasured differences,a good strategy would be to

A quantitative research project examines the relationship between unemployment rates and voter turnout.In this study,the researchers consider whether current public policies play a role in the unemployment-voter turnout connection.We can see this study is one that uses multivariate methods because it includes

Research shows that parents' occupational prestige is a strong predictor of their adult offspring's occupational prestige.In 3-4 sentences,consider the potential importance of neighborhood-level occupational prestige (in terms of what are the typical levels of occupational prestige across the neighborhood),and offer two contrasting scenarios: one in which neighborhood occupational prestige could be tested as a confounding variable and one in which it could be tested as a mediator.In your answer,be sure you clearly identify the key difference between a confounding and a mediating variable and demonstrate how your examples illustrate that difference.

One challenge in sociology is that the experiences being studied are often strongly related to individuals' characteristics.This causes difficulty because

If a researcher tests for whether chronic stress is a mediator of the association between socioeconomic resources and health,she is hypothesizing that

Kai's data suggests that U.S.babies who were breastfed longer have higher standardized test scores and higher grades across childhood and adolescence.However,some of this association was explained by the higher average household income among mothers who breastfed longer and among children who had higher academic achievement on average.Yet again,some of the association between breastfeeding duration and academic achievement remained until immune system measures were included.Here,longer breastfeeding was associated with stronger average immune systems,which were,in turn,related to higher academic achievement (through fewer childhood illnesses that can affect grades and test scores).This hypothetical study demonstrates that

If a study finds evidence that a variable mediates the association between an independent and dependent variable,it means that once the mediating variable is added to the statistical model,the results would show a(n)

Which of the following would be an example of an inverse association?

If certain values or responses on one variable tend to co-occur with certain values on another variable,we would interpret this as the existence of a(n)

If a researcher hypothesizes that employment causes people to live longer,he or she may interpret an observed association between employment and number of years lived as evidence that supports his or her hypothesis.However,if adding healthiness to the model eliminates all of the original association between employment and number of years lived,this suggests that healthiness might predict both employment and longer life.This demonstrates that

Consider the past research showing that if a child's parents divorce,the child is at higher risk of his own divorce when he reaches adulthood.One factor that might be relevant here is the adult offspring's relationship skills (think in terms of being able to communicate with an intimate partner in healthy ways,having positive relationship behaviors,etc. ).Write 4-6 sentences in which you describe two distinct studies: the first,in which adult offspring relationship skills are a mediator of the relationship between parents' divorce and offspring's divorce risk;and the second,in which relationship skills are a moderator of the relationship between parents' divorce and offspring's divorce risk.In your answer,be clear what research question is being asked in each study and how you would know that mediation had occurred in the first study and that moderation had occurred in the second study.

A research team wants to study the influence of childhood neighborhood poverty on long-term health,such as life expectancy.As with many sociological questions,there are constraints on how this can be studied.Researchers interested in finding the most developed and reliable answers to such questions should

A study examines the hypothesis that women perform more unpaid household labor than men on average because women also have lower average income than men.However,the researchers are encouraged to consider the possibility of reverse causality,such that the higher average time women spend in unpaid labor predicts women's lower average income.In order to respond to this suggestion,the researchers in this study will most likely need to

Past research shows that the positive influence of education on income is smaller for African Americans and Latinos than it is for non-Latino Whites and Asian American-Pacific Islanders.In 4-6 sentences,explain how this finding demonstrates moderation.Identify the independent,dependent,and moderating variables in this example and explain what would have to be observed in the statistical model to conclude that moderation is occurring.Finally,briefly note how this finding might inform policies to equalize educational attainment as a way to decrease income inequality.

If an observed difference is statistically significant,but isn't large enough to be justifiably used to affect social policies,this difference is understood to lack