Deck 2: Discover Sociological Research

Question 1

Which of the following is characterized by data that can be converted into numbers?

A)qualitative research
B)empirical research
C)quantitative research
D)inductive research

Answer 1

C

Question 2

______ is an idea about society, derived from theory, which can be disproved when tested against observation.

A)Common wisdom
B)Common knowledge
C)A hypothesis
D)A variable

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following would be considered a qualitative variable?

A)the respondent's religious affiliation
B)the number of times the respondent visits church per month
C)the amount of money the respondent donates to his or her church
D)the number of hours spent volunteering with a church

Answer 3

A

Question 4

______ reasoning starts from specific information and uses that information to identify larger patterns from which to generalize.

A)Quantitative
B)Inductive
C)Deductive
D)Qualitative

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of deductive reasoning?

A)Hailey got a higher grade than Sarah, Sarah got a higher grade than Adam, and therefore Hailey got a higher grade than Adam.
B)The apples in the bowl are red, therefore all apples are red.
C)The candies pulled out of the bag are all green, therefore all candies in the bag are green.
D)Nathan is Hispanic and his neighbor his Hispanic, therefore the whole neighborhood is Hispanic.

Question 6

______ reasoning starts from general information and theories that are then reduced to more specific and testable hypotheses.

A)Deductive
B)Inductive
C)Empirical
D)Subjective

Question 7

Which of the following is a characteristic of a good scientific theory?

A)It is varied and unpredictable.
B)It can be proven with no limitations.
C)It is not testable in other circumstances.
D)It could possibly be revised.

Question 8

Which of the following is true of qualitative research?

A)Data are quantified or converted into numbers.
B)It is often conducted through large-scale surveys.
C)It generates in-depth knowledge of social life, institutions, and processes.
D)It generally involves large sample sizes.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of quantitative research?

A)It generally involves small sample sizes.
B)It relies on focus groups, participant and nonparticipant observation, interviews, content analysis, and archival research.
C)It generates in-depth knowledge of social life, institutions, and processes.
D)It offers insight into broad patterns of behavior.

Question 10

______ variables are those that express a quality and have a subjective element.

A)Deductive
B)Qualitative
C)Inductive
D)Quantitative

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of quantitative research?

A)40 in-depth interviews with residents of a suburban neighborhood
B)field observations of people interacting and dancing in a nightclub
C)content analysis of meme images on a popular blogging website
D)2,000 survey questionnaires that measure respondents' drug usage habits

Question 12

______ is the degree to which two or more variables are associated with one another.

A)Causation
B)Correlation
C)Deduction
D)Relation

Question 13

Which of the following would be considered a quantitative variable?

A)employment status
B)occupation
C)job title
D)yearly salary

Question 14

A researcher watches a debate on television and hypothesizes about the personality traits of each candidate based on their behaviors.What is the researcher using to form the hypothesis?

A)inductive reasoning
B)deductive reasoning
C)quantitative analysis
D)common wisdom

Question 15

When using deductive reasoning, it is important to break the broad theories down by using specific and testable ______.

A)variables
B)populations
C)hypotheses
D)observations

Question 16

What is an operational definition?

A)It describes a concept in such a way that it can be observed and measure.
B)It is a flawed definition.
C)It is a definition that includes quantities.
D)It is a definition that involves circular reasoning.

Question 17

______ are ideas that summarize a set of phenomenon.

A)Theories
B)Concepts
C)Hypotheses
D)Methods

Question 18

The process of gathering empirical (scientific and specific) data, creating theories, and rigorously testing theories is known as ______.

A)the sociological method
B)the scientific method
C)data collection
D)theoretical reasoning

Question 19

______ provide explanations to the how and why of scientific observation.

A)Concepts
B)Variables
C)Scientific methods
D)Scientific theories

Question 20

A researcher wants to study self-esteem among teenage boys.How would they do this using qualitative research?

A)have students rate their level of self-esteem on a scale from 1 to 6
B)survey students to see how many have positive self-esteem
C)conduct a case study and gain in-depth answers from each boy
D)review records from previous studies

Question 21

A ______ relationship is one in which one variable is the cause of another variable.

A)generalizable
B)stratified
C)random
D)causal

Question 22

Good theories are constructed in a way that makes it logically possible to prove them wrong.This idea is better known as ______.

A)a spurious relationship
B)a negative correlation
C)the principle of falsification
D)validity

Question 23

Correlations are drawn for what type of study?

A)quantitative studies
B)qualitative studies
C)ethnographic studies
D)case studies only

Question 24

A study finds that when fast food restaurants move into a neighborhood, the average weight of residents increases.What could you conclude from this study?

A)There is a positive correlation between fast food restaurants and weight gain.
B)There is a negative correlation between fast food restaurants and weight gain.
C)People gain weight when they are in close proximity to fast food restaurants.
D)People who eat fast food gain weight.

Question 25

A study finds that the more years someone has spent driving, the number of accidents they are involved in decreases.This is an example of ______.

A)negative causation
B)negative correlation
C)positive correlation
D)a decreasing relationship

Question 26

For a study to be ______, subsequent researchers should conduct their studies in the same manner as the original study.

A)valid
B)quantitative
C)stratified
D)replicated

Question 27

A researcher finds that as a respondent's income increases, the square footage of their home also increases.This is an example of ______.

A)a positive correlation
B)positive causation
C)a negative correlation
D)an increased relationship

Question 28

A study wants to test for intelligence and asks questions about hobbies and athleticism.What is the concern with this study?

A)a lack of reliability
B)a lack of validity
C)a lack of correlation
D)a lack of ethics

Question 29

Researchers must be willing to accept that the data they collect might contradict their most passionate convictions.Which idea does this statement reflect?

A)reliability
B)validity
C)objectivity
D)falsifiability

Question 30

How is a study value neutral?

A)The researcher focuses on just the information that goes along with the hypothesis.
B)The researcher acknowledges biases and takes steps to prevent them from impacting results.
C)The results do not include a section that discusses the limitations of the study.
D)The results discussed are consistent with the researcher's beliefs.

Question 31

During an interview for a qualitative study, the researchers asks the participants about their social class.Instead of answering truthfully, the participant states that they are middle class because they perceive that the interviewer is also middle class.How would you define this phenomenon?

A)bias
B)social desirability bias
C)stereotyping
D)guessing

Question 32

When the relationship between two variables is explained by a third, unmeasured factor, it is referred to as a ______ relationship.

A)causal
B)statistical
C)spurious
D)correlated

Question 33

The use of inappropriate measurement instruments can introduce ______ into the results.

A)dependent variables
B)bias
C)validity
D)stratified sampling

Question 34

A researcher is conducting a study on illegal drug abuse among people recently paroled from prison.How might bias be introduced into this study?

A)clearly defining who paroled individuals are
B)selecting individuals from a specific socioeconomic status
C)including individuals who have and have not reported drug use since parole
D)using appropriate measurement instruments

Question 35

When concepts and measurement are valid, they are considered ______.

A)consistent
B)accurate
C)biased
D)falsifiable

Question 36

The results of a research study indicate that the more people exercise, the less they weigh.This is an example of ______.

A)positive correlation
B)negative correlation
C)quantitative analysis
D)qualitative analysis

Question 37

The repetition of a previous study in a different setting to verify or refute the original findings is referred to as ______.

A)verification
B)replication
C)validation
D)reliability

Question 38

Harriet, a 24-year-old White woman, is conducting a 5-hr in-depth interview with Bereket, a 68-year-old Ethiopian man, about his experience moving to the United States 40 years ago.How could the validity of this study be impacted?

A)Harriet could take too many breaks during the interview.
B)Bereket could refuse to answer some questions.
C)Harriet could identify areas she does not understand.
D)Bereket could misunderstand a question and answer based on this misunderstanding.

Question 39

Which of the following represents the concept of reliability?

A)The major funder of a study is not allowed to be part of the research process because it is considered a conflict of interest.
B)A study conducted in 2012 conflicts with a similar study conducted by another researcher in 2005.
C)The hypothesis of one study is tested by two different researchers, and they reach the same conclusion.
D)A study is revisited every 10 years, and different researchers have different findings each time.

Question 40

Which of the following is an example of how bias can be introduced into a study?

A)Respondents tell the truth to prevent stigma or embarrassment.
B)The researcher creates a complete operational definition.
C)The sample size is representative of the population.
D)The researcher is studying marijuana legislation and supports decriminalization.

Question 41

Which of the following is a sociological research method?

A)variable
B)experimentation
C)random sampling
D)generalization

Question 42

A research team conducts a study to determine test performance in different temperatures.The researcher has students take tests in three different temperature settings to see how they perform.The results indicate that students do not perform as well in higher temperature settings.What acts as the independent variable in this study?

A)the different temperatures
B)the students
C)the tests
D)the student performance

Question 43

Sociologists who conduct ______ observation research should give extra consideration to ethics, as subjects may engage in illegal or dangerous activities.

A)qualitative
B)participant
C)random
D)population

Question 44

What is document analysis?

A)quantitative information obtained from government agencies, businesses, research studies, and other entities that collect data for their own or others' use
B)detailed conversations designed to obtain in-depth information about a person and his or her activities
C)documents that are invariable sources of data but that must be interpreted with great caution
D)the examination of written materials or cultural products

Question 45

A researcher is interested in acquiring a rich understanding of his or her relationship building and team culture on professional football teams.Which of the following would be the most appropriate research method?

A)content analysis of previously aired NFL games
B)a survey of 1,500 NFL fans
C)fieldwork in which the researcher spends a few hours each day observing team interactions and participates in some team-building exercises
D)interviews with team coaches, trainers, and owners

Question 46

Which of the following is a characteristic of surveys?

A)They are limited to in-person interviews.
B)They can consist of open-ended or closed-ended questions.
C)They must include every member of the population of interest to be accurate.
D)They can only be distributed to a small number of people.

Question 47

A ______ is representative of a population.

A)sample
B)example
C)questionnaire
D)concept

Question 48

Danny is conducting a study about the effects of a new medication on depression for people already using another medication.Three groups are set up: One group is given the new medication, one group remains on the old medication, and one group has never had either medication.What acts as the dependent variable?

A)the new medication
B)the old medication
C)the participants
D)the level of depression

Question 49

A major think tank wants to publish a report comparing the attitudes of people from all over the United States toward increasing the federal minimum wage.Which of the following would be the most appropriate research method?

A)large-scale survey of 2,500 men and women
B)in-depth interviews of 50 men and women
C)ethnographic study of minimum wage workers
D)analysis of congressional debate on increasing the minimum wage

Question 50

Which type of research method asks questions that allow respondents to answer in their own words?

A)interview
B)survey
C)experiment
D)observation

Question 51

Which of the following is a research method that uses a questionnaire to determine people's opinions, behaviors, or characteristics?

A)ethnography
B)survey
C)interviews
D)sampling

Question 52

Framing your research question involves ______.

A)defining your terms
B)following a formula that indicates exactly how to proceed
C)choosing the appropriate research method
D)sharing your findings with the sociological community

Question 53

To avoid bias in survey research, sociologists utilize what type of sampling?

A)fixed sampling
B)random sampling
C)observation sampling
D)chosen sampling

Question 54

Which of the following is another term used to describe fieldwork, the in-depth study of a group or community?

A)ethnography
B)casework
C)quantitative research
D)community research

Question 55

When you are reviewing existing knowledge, the focus of your literature review should center around which of the following?

A)newspapers
B)blogs
C)textbooks
D)peer-reviewed journals

Question 56

All of the following are quantitative variables used in sociological research EXCEPT ______.

A)crime rates
B)drug use frequency
C)years of education
D)gender

Question 57

Dividing a population into a series of subgroups and taking random samples from within each group is known as what type of sampling?

A)simple random
B)snowball
C)stratified
D)nonrandom

Question 58

Which of the following is an example of a leading question?

A)Do you oppose increasing state funding for health clinics that target low-income women?
B)Do you believe that harsher drunk-driving laws decrease the number of car accidents?
C)Wouldn't you agree that our president should be doing more to stop the deforestation of Brazil and subsequent displacement of thousands of people?
D)Do you support legislation that decriminalizes marijuana?

Question 59

In an experiment, the ______ variable is one changed intentionally to produce an effect.

A)random
B)stratified
C)independent
D)dependent

Question 60

Vanessa wants to observe the gender dynamics on a college campus.Which method would be best suited for her study?

A)quantitative
B)ethnography
C)participatory research
D)qualitative

Question 61

When starting a research project, it is a good idea to review the existing literature.

Question 62

The 1970 Stanford study conducted by Philip Zimbardo would not be approved today based on ______.

A)concerns about the research question
B)methodological concerns
C)ethical concerns
D)data collection concerns

Question 63

In order for humans to be involved in a research study, what must be first given?

A)consent
B)survey
C)ethics
D)participant observation

Question 64

Scientific methods allow for creating theories and rigorously testing theories.

Question 65

A sample should reflect the population you are studying.

Question 66

Snowball and convenience sampling are random samples.

Question 67

Which of the following is one way in which you can share your findings with the sociological community?

A)publishing the results on Wikipedia
B)creating a file on your computer
C)presenting the results at a conference
D)giving a copy to your parents

Question 68

Spreadsheets and statistical software are used for which type of method?

A)qualitative
B)observation
C)ethnography
D)quantitative

Question 69

Correlation is a synonym for causation.If two variables are associated with one another, then it means one variable causes the other.

Question 70

Qualitative research uses inductive reasoning.

Question 71

Which of the following is a common consideration when conducting good sociological research?

A)choosing participants that you know will confirm your hypothesis
B)training interviewers to look for answers that align with the study
C)selecting a sample from a homogenous population
D)avoiding conclusions that are speculative or not warranted by the actual research results

Question 72

Population samples are large for qualitative studies.

Question 73

Which method uses open-ended questions?

A)ethnography
B)case study
C)qualitative
D)quantitative

Question 74

Operational definitions can be defined in terms of qualities or quantities.

Question 75

Why was the Nuremberg Code adopted?

A)The Milgram study created harm to the participants, and this code acted to prevent it from happening again.
B)The Stanford prison experiment violated human rights and needed to be addressed.
C)The research conducted by the Nazis during World War II created a need for guidelines.
D)The Nuremberg trials created so many different questions about ethics that they designed the guidelines for clarity.

Question 76

Deductive reasoning starts from a specific truism and generalizes from there.

Question 77

Quantitative research uses interviews as a method of data collection.

Question 78

A researcher wants to conduct a study on honesty by having people engage in different shoplifting situations in a store.The researcher asks people in the parking lot if they want to participate, tells them to shoplift, and then sends them into the store.The participants then report back to the researcher.How ethical is this study based on the Nuremberg Code?

A)The study is ethical.The participants are told what they will be doing and gave their consent.
B)The study is unethical.The participants were sent to an area where they could not be observed.
C)The study is ethical.The participants did not face any physical threat.
D)The study is unethical.The participants were asked to do something illegal, which could result in mental injury.

Question 79

Which of the following is true of good research?

A)Good research doesn't have to unequivocally support your results.
B)Good research should be analyzed using statistical software.
C)Good research should contain field notes.
D)Good research doesn't need to include all of your results.

Question 80

When you are selecting a research method, which question should you ask yourself?

A)Which of the research methods will give the best results for the project?
B)Which of the research methods will allow you to obtain results quickly?
C)Which of the research methods are you most familiar with?
D)Which of the research methods involves document analysis and historical research?