Exam 4: Observation

Time sampling and situation sampling are used to increase which of the following characteristics of observational findings?

In order to avoid the problem of ______,it is sometimes necessary to use ______.

used participant observation to study psychiatric diagnosis in the context of a mental institution by having "pseudopatients" seek admission was to

The cues and other information used by participants to guide their behavior in a psychological study are called

For both physical and psychological measurement the lowest scale of measurement involves categorizing the stimulus into one of a number of discrete categories (e.g. ,male or female).This level of measurement is called a(n)

Describe the primary goals of naturalistic observation,participant observation,structured observation,and field experiments.

Two student researchers wish to determine the degree of observer reliability they achieved in their study.They observed individual students who were approaching another person on a campus path.The two observers both independently recorded whether or not the observed student greeted the other person.Which of the following measures should the student researchers use to assess observer reliability?

Researchers conducted a content analysis in which they examined race relations on TV.They included programs with a story line and all commercials,but they excluded documentaries,news broadcasts,and sports shows.Which characteristic of the researchers' sample is likely to be most affected by these decisions?

The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (r)can be used to measure interobserver reliability when

Which of the following dependent variables is most likely to represent a ratio scale of measurement?

Research studies have examined evidence of past human behavior,including works of art,television shows,and bumper stickers,to test various hypotheses.This source of unobtrusive evidence is called

Define and explain the reason for using time sampling and situation sampling in naturalistic observation.

When a researcher plays an active and significant role in the situation in which behavior is being recorded and when the researcher conceals the fact that observations are being made,the study represents a(n)

The two pieces of information obtained from a correlation coefficient are

A school superintendent has received a report from the state that lists the ranking of schools in terms of the students' performance on the state's achievement test.Which scale of measurement is represented in this report?

When many observations of the same children in a classroom are made it is possible to determine the frequency of certain behaviors such as how many times children speak in class.Which scale of measurement do these frequency data represent?

Which of the following statements about interobserver reliability is true?

Read this description of a study and answer the questions that follow. A newspaper reporter at a university newspaper sought to gather evidence about the quality of teaching at the university. For one week at the beginning of the semester she attended 5 different classes each day, each with a different instructor. She asked 4 other reporters to do this too (they all attended different classes), and she trained them regarding the ratings they would make. The reporters pretended to be students, but sat in the back of class so the instructor wouldn't notice their observations. Using 10-point rating scales, they rated each instructor on five dimensions: interesting, organized, informative, friendly, and respectful. They summarized their findings and reported that, in general, the quality of teaching at the university is very good. -Identify the type of observational method used in this study.

A researcher seeks to describe behavior at an airport security screening area during a busy holiday travel time.Because there are far too many people for the researcher to observe effectively,she should use

Newspaper advice columnists print only a fraction of the letters they receive.Analysis of the printed letters is likely limited by the problem of