Deck 9: Field Research and Qualitative Methods

Question 1

A researcher who is doing disguised observation would be adopting which observer role

A)complete participant
B)participant-as-observer
C)complete observer
D)observer-as-observer

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The verstehen approach in the study of human behavior emphasizes:

A)the study of German culture.
B)the importance of the subjective experiences of people in understanding human behavior.
C)that only those aspects of behavior that can be observed and recorded objectively should be studied.
D)that empathy with research participants can lead to bias in research results.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following research methodologies most clearly takes the stance that theory should be developed by letting it emerge from the data in a somewhat inductive fashion

A)experiments
B)surveys
C)available data
D)grounded theory

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following would be the preferred way of gaining entry into a group for purposes of conducting participant observation research

A)Gain the cooperation of those with less status and power in the group first.
B)Describe the abstract scientific goals of the research to the members of the group.
C)Tell the group members that one of the research goals is to evaluate them and their performance.
D)Gain the cooperation of those with more status and power in the group first.

Question 5

Which of the following would NOT be included in the field notes that are recorded as a part of observational research

A)a running description of what occurs
B)a description of the statistical procedures used in data analysis
C)previous episodes that were forgotten at the time but are recalled while in the field
D)personal impressions and feelings

Question 6

The text states that the research technique called "participant observation" involves gaining knowledge from two distinct sources:

A)participation and objectivity.
B)participation and observation.
C)observation and measurement.
D)observation and reactivity.

Question 7

In field research, becoming "invisible" refers to:

A)taking on the complete observer role.
B)conducting hidden observations.
C)reducing reactivity to a minimum.
D)coming to be seen as a natural part of the setting being observed.

Question 8

In participant observation, rapport between researcher and informants is likely to be improved by all of the following EXCEPT:

A)the informants view the researcher as a nice person who will do them no harm.
B)the investigator shows through behavior that he or she sympathizes with the perspective of the people being studied.
C)the informants agree with the research goals of the investigation.
D)both the researcher and the group members have something that the other needs and wants.

Question 9

In field research, the term "informant" refers to:

A)a group insider who can introduce you to others in the group.
B)a research confederate who helps analyze the data.
C)a person who "goes native" to help further the research goals.
D)a person who "outs" the researcher by telling group members of his or her status as researcher.

Question 10

The term "observational techniques," as it is used in research, refers to:

A)direct observation of the content of documents.
B)direct observation made on a probability sample.
C)the collection of data through the direct visual or auditory experience of behavior.
D)all forms of data collection that involve some direct or indirect observation of behavior.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is true regarding field research

A)Field researchers actually see or hear the behaviors that are the data for the research.
B)It involves making observations of people in their natural settings.
C)It is most consistent with the positivist paradigm.
D) Field researchers actually see or hear the behaviors that are the data for the research and it involves making observations of people in their natural settings.

Question 12

According to the text, all of the following terms characterize an appropriate attitude for field researchers to have toward the people being studied EXCEPT:

A)detachment.
B)openness.
C)respect.
D)reciprocal.

Question 13

In participant observation research, one danger is that the observer may become an involved participant of the scene being observed.This is a problem because:

A)the researcher may lose his or her objective, scientific perspective.
B)the researcher may become too objective and not perceive things from the perspective of group members.
C)verstehen may be irreversibly lost.
D)it becomes difficult to conduct time sampling.

Question 14

Qualitative research stresses the idea that:

A)knowledge emerges from an understanding of the full context in which people behave.
B)knowledge emerges from the use of objective and value-free research methods.
C)knowledge can emerge if social scientists isolate variables in the laboratory for close scrutiny.
D)direct observation of behavior is not necessary to developing an understanding of it.

Question 15

All of the following would be recorded in field notes EXCEPT:

A)a description of the research design.
B)a description of the setting.
C)a description of individual actions and activities.
D)a description of group behavior and relationships.

Question 16

Qualitative researchers would be more likely than quantitative researchers to use in recording observations.

A)coding sheets
B)numbers and counts
C)field notes
D)physical traces

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT an observer role that can be adopted by a researcher

A)participant as observer
B)observer as participant
C)complete participant
D)observer as observer

Question 18

Sometimes a field researcher becomes so involved in and identified with the people being observed that he or she takes on those people's perspectives and can't see them from other perspectives. This is referred to as:

A)becoming invisible.
B)turning a leaf.
C)going native.
D)achieving verstehen.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true regarding grounded theory methodology

A)It is entirely inductive in nature.
B)It is entirely deductive in nature.
C)It can involve both induction and deduction.
D)It does not engage in theory verification.

Question 20

Which of the following would be most likely to agree that objective and quantitative measurement techniques can be used to discover what is important in the social world

A)positivists
B)subjectivists
C)those who adopt the verstehen perspective
D)interactionists

Question 21

Which of the following is NOT a qualitative research method as discussed in the text

A)available data
B)in-depth interviewing
C)field research
D)case studies

Question 22

In observational research, the recording of field notes is most problematic for:

A)those in the participant-as-observer role.
B)observers whose status as observer is disguised.
C)those using unobtrusive measures.
D)research that is based on time sampling.

Question 23

Complex coding schemes would be most appropriately used when:

A)observers are required to make observations only for a short period of time.
B)recording of observations will be done after observations have been completed.
C)the group being observed is large and shifting in composition.
D)one observer will make and record all of the observations.

Question 24

According to the text, which of the following statements is true about sampling in field research

A)Snowball sampling is rarely used.
B)Targeted sampling is rarely used.
C)Nonprobability samples are widely used.
D)Probability samples are widely used.

Question 25

When conducting field observations, personal impressions and feelings are included in field notes in order to:

A)assess the possibility that bias is coloring one's observations.
B)reduce the likelihood of going native.
C)encourage informants to share their feelings openly with the researcher.
D)make it possible to do quantitative data analysis.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of observational research

A)It is easier to study very large samples than is the case with survey techniques.
B)It provides deeper and more insightful data than do most other research techniques.
C)It makes the study of "closed" settings possible.
D)It is inherently longitudinal.

Question 27

Which of the following has the greatest face validity as a measure of behavior and events

A)surveys
B)questionnaires
C)observational techniques
D)secondary data analysis

Question 28

Coding sheets are used in field research when:

A)it is desirable to collect qualitative data.
B)there is a danger that the researcher might "go native."
C)there is a high likelihood of reactivity.
D)it is desirable to collect quantitative data.

Question 29

A coding scheme would be used by researchers to:

A)classify observations in observational research.
B)stop welfare recipients from defrauding the government.
C)send data over telecommunications lines.
D)determine the time interval to be established when conducting time sampling.

Question 30

A type of sampling that is used in observational research, and that enables us to avoid making continual observations over long periods of time, is:

A)time sampling.
B)simple random sampling.
C)snowball sampling.
D)quota sampling.

Question 31

The reliability of observations is most difficult to assess when:

A)there are many observers studying a single group.
B)the observations are recorded using a coding scheme.
C)a number of observers use field notes to record observations on one group.
D)there is a single observer studying one group at one time period.

Question 32

The primary goal of most case studies and life histories is:

A)nomothetic explanation.
B)idiographic explanation
C)positivist explanation.
D)deductive hypothesis testing.

Question 33

The text characterizes the description that is achieved in case studies and life histories as:

A)medium descriptions.
B)thick descriptions.
C)thin descriptions.
D)objective descriptions.

Question 34

The text describes a field study of alcohol-related aggression in bars in which the observers took on the role of patrons in the bars. This is most clearly an example of:

A)disguised observation.
B)hidden observation.
C)the complete observer role.
D)focus group observation.

Question 35

The "big man bias" in field research most accurately refers to:

A)the tendency of ethnographers to ignore females and attend to males.
B)the tendency for ethnographers to be males rather than females.
C)the tendency for more powerful or assertive individuals to come to the attention of ethnographers.
D)the tendency for reactivity to occur with male ethnographers but not female ethnographers.

Question 36

Coding categories should:

A)have very general coding categories.
B)have coding categories that involve no subjective interpretation.
C)be highly specific and behavioral.
D)be different for each coder.

Question 37

Which of the following is a (are)factor(s)that can affect the validity of observations in observational research

A)whether people being observed have anonymity or not
B)the expectations of the observer
C)the conditions under which the observations are made
D)all of the answers are factors that can affect the validity of observations

Question 38

When doing field research, why is it methodologically desirable to look for behavior that is illegal, stigmatizing, or risks punishment to the people being observed

A)It can help assess the validity of observations.
B)It makes for more interesting research reports.
C)It makes it possible to use field notes.
D)Hypotheses in field research typically deal with such behavior.

Question 39

One advantage of observational research is:

A)it focuses on nonverbal behavior without the interference of verbal behavior.
B)it can focus on both verbal and nonverbal behavior.
C)it reduces the likelihood of observer bias affecting the research results.
D)data recorded in field notes are easy to quantify.

Question 40

The problem of "reactivity" in observational research refers to:

A)observers reacting to the behavior they observe and introducing bias into the data.
B)people behaving differently because they are being observed.
C)statistical artifacts that commonly arise in analyzing observational data.
D)people refusing to let observers make audio tapes or videotapes of their behavior.

Question 41

What does participant observation have to do with the positivist paradigm, the interpretive paradigm, and empathic understanding

Question 42

Describe time sampling, indicating what it is, how it is used, and how it is similar to probability sampling.

Question 43

What are the characteristics of qualitative research methods Include in your answer a discussion of grounded theory.

Question 44

Describe each of the qualitative research methods discussed in the text other than field research.

Question 45

Discuss the problem of reactivity in observational research and indicate methods to minimize its effects.

Question 46

Identify and discuss the elements that should be a part of field notes.

Question 47

Define and describe participant observation research. In your answer, discuss the various roles that such researchers can take on and the advantages and disadvantages of each role.

Question 48

Identify and discuss the steps involved in conducting field or participant observation research.

Question 49

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of field research and qualitative methods.

Question 50

The textbook mentions a variety of factors that may work to reduce the validity of observational research. Identify and discuss those factors and what can be done to reduce their impact.