Deck 2: Examining Our Social World

Question 1

Which of the following is a tradition?

A) Jane throws the bouquet at her wedding as it is a custom that her family follows.
B) Jack eats five almonds every day as his mother says that they are good for health.
C) A girl gets married to her best friend because she loves him.
D) Teens copy celebrities' dressing style to look fashionable.
E) People use social media frequently these days.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

A control variable is a characteristic that is constant and unchanged during the research process.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Deduction and induction are two different but equally valuable approaches in examining the relationship between variables.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A common source of knowledge is _____, a socially accepted source of information that includes "experts," parents, government officials, police, judges, and religious leaders.

A) mythology
B) authority
C) superstition
D) heredity
E) intelligence

Question 5

In participant observation, researchers interact with the people they are studying.

Question 6

Sociological research influences social policies.

Question 7

Research findings often challenge personal attitudes and beliefs that people cherish.

Question 8

Causation is also known as correlation.

Question 9

Formulating a hypothesis is the first step in the scientific method.

Question 10

Validity is the consistency with which the same measure produces similar results time after time, whereas reliability is the degree to which a measure is accurate and really measures what it claims to measure.

Question 11

Researchers today operate under much stricter guidelines than they did in the past.

Question 12

Content analysis is usually expensive and more time consuming than other data collection methods.

Question 13

Research methods are organized and systematic procedures to gain knowledge about a particular topic.

Question 14

In a survey, questions in a questionnaire can only be close-ended.

Question 15

Sociologists rely on techniques that include careful data collection, exact measurement, accurate recording and analysis of the findings, thoughtful interpretation of results, and, when appropriate, generalization of the findings to a larger group.

Question 16

In qualitative research, sociologists examine nonnumerical material that they then interpret.

Question 17

Structured interviews use open-ended questions.

Question 18

Sociological research supports overgeneralizations.

Question 19

Much of one's knowledge is based on _____, a handing down of statements, beliefs, and customs from generation to generation.

A) tradition
B) authority
C) learning
D) heredity
E) intelligence

Question 20

Longitudinal studies are more useful in examining trends in behavior or attitudes than cross-sectional studies, because a researcher using longitudinal studies can follow a particular group of people over time.

Question 21

Li, a sociologist, conducts a study on the most common causes of absenteeism among the students enrolled in the universities of California. She conducts a survey among the students of many different universities of California in order to strengthen her confidence in the results. In this scenario, Li is trying to ensure the _____ factor of her study.

A) complexity
B) probability
C) validity
D) reliability
E) nonprobability

Question 22

Which of the following is a reason for researchers to select samples to represent a population?

A) The population may be so large that it would be too expensive and time consuming to conduct the research.
B) Using the whole population to conduct researches will yield inaccurate results.
C) Samples are better for inductive reasoning-based researches, while the whole population can be used only for deductive reasoning-based researches.
D) Samples are better as they use the concept of conventional wisdom over critical thinking.
E) Samples yield more accurate results as they do not influence social policies.

Question 23

Which of the following is an example of authority?

A) Jane throws the bouquet at her wedding as it is a custom that her family follows.
B) Jack eats five almonds every day as his mother says that they are good for health.
C) A girl gets married to her best friend because she loves him.
D) Teens copy celebrities' dressing style to look fashionable.
E) People use social media prevalently these days.

Question 24

Which of the following includes careful data collection, exact measurement, accurate recording and analysis of the findings, thoughtful interpretation of results, and, when appropriate, generalization of the findings to a larger group?

A) Traditional belief
B) Scientific method
C) Behavioral epigenetics
D) Conventional wisdom
E) Innate knowledge

Question 25

Knowledge based on tradition and authority simplifies people's lives because it:

A) provides them with basic rules about socially and legally acceptable behavior.
B) is impossible to gain knowledge through any other means.
C) provides only clear and correct information to them.
D) exposes myths and misconceptions.
E) sharpens critical thinking skills that affect their everyday lives.

Question 26

Joshua takes 15 minutes to reach his school. He has to be at the school at 7:00 a.m. every day. Therefore, he decides that he has to leave home at 6:45 a.m. every day to reach on time. Which of the following types of reasoning does Joshua use to arrive at this decision?

A) Decisive reasoning
B) Deductive reasoning
C) Comparative reasoning
D) Inductive reasoning
E) Qualitative reasoning

Question 27

Which of the following is true of the relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable?

A) An independent variable is a characteristic that has an effect on the dependent variable, the outcome.
B) An independent variable is a characteristic that is constant and unchanged during the research process, while a dependent variable varies during the research process.
C) An independent variable is not used in a hypothesis, while a dependent variable is used in a hypothesis.
D) An independent variable uses a dependent variable to acquire knowledge based on tradition and authority.
E) An independent variable uses a dependent variable for deductive reasoning.

Question 28

Shauna, a dance teacher, notices that students who have healthy snacks and fruit juices while her classes are going on perform better. She conducts a study over six months to confirm that her observation is true. Identify the type of reasoning that Shauna uses to arrive at her theory.

A) Qualitative reasoning
B) Inductive reasoning
C) Comparative reasoning
D) Deductive reasoning
E) Decisive reasoning

Question 29

Which of the following is true of sociological research?

A) It is based on a handing down of customs from generation to generation.
B) It is a socially accepted source of information.
C) It is misleading and wrong at a macro level.
D) It is based on tradition and authority.
E) It helps explain why people behave as they do.

Question 30

In a country called Novea, teen suicide rates dropped by 39 percent from 1995 to 2015, but 70 percent of the citizens believe that the rate has gone up. The reason behind this misperception is the increase in the media focus on teen suicides. This is an example of _____.

A) overgeneralization
B) conventional wisdom
C) inductive reasoning
D) tradition
E) sampling

Question 31

Sandy observes that students who use laptops and e-learning tools secure the highest grades. She conducts a research study to determine whether this observation is true. Which of the following types of reasoning does Sandy use to construct her theory?

A) Decisive reasoning
B) Deductive reasoning
C) Comparative reasoning
D) Inductive reasoning
E) Qualitative reasoning

Question 32

_____ sharpens critical thinking skills.

A) Tradition
B) Authority
C) Conventional wisdom
D) Sociological research
E) Belief

Question 33

Which of the following is true of knowledge based on tradition and authority?

A) It can be misleading or wrong.
B) It exposes myths.
C) It challenges overgeneralizations.
D) It is the same as knowledge gained by sociological research.
E) It influences social policies.

Question 34

Chris measures the attitudes, behaviors, ethnicity, age, and social class of his neighbors as part of his project. These factors are examples of _____.

A) hypotheses
B) norms
C) variables
D) theories
E) experiments

Question 35

_____ is an inquiry process that begins with a theory, prediction, or general principle that is then tested through data collection.

A) Decisive reasoning
B) Deductive reasoning
C) Comparative reasoning
D) Inductive reasoning
E) Qualitative reasoning

Question 36

Sociologists rely on the _____, a body of objective and systematic techniques to investigate phenomena, acquire knowledge, and test hypotheses and theories.

A) archival research
B) scientific method
C) behavioral epigenetics
D) conventional wisdom
E) innate knowledge

Question 37

The students of a university in Massachusetts were asked to evaluate their professors and the courses they teach. The results revealed that most of the students gave a very low rating to one of their professors because they did not like his teaching techniques. The data collected in this scenario is most likely to lack _____.

A) complexity
B) probability
C) validity
D) nonprobability
E) flexibility

Question 38

Why is sociological research important in people's everyday lives?

A) It encourages overgeneralizations.
B) It unmasks myths.
C) It is isolated from social policies.
D) It fails to explain why people behave irrationally.
E) It is often misleading and wrong.

Question 39

As concepts are abstract and may vary among individuals and cultures, scientists rely on _____ to measure concepts.

A) variables
B) traditions
C) researches
D) beliefs
E) theories

Question 40

_____ is an inquiry process that begins with a specific observation, followed by data collection, a conclusion about patterns or regularities, and the formulation of hypotheses that can lead to theory construction.

A) Decisive reasoning
B) Deductive reasoning
C) Comparative reasoning
D) Inductive reasoning
E) Qualitative reasoning

Question 41

_____ yield in-depth descriptions of why some college students drop out whereas others graduate.

A) Quantitative data
B) Numeric data
C) Qualitative data
D) Computable data
E) Deductive data

Question 42

Which of the following statements is an example of correlation?

A) Drunken driving is the cause of road accidents.
B) Unsafe sex leads to transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
C) Consumption of excessive sugar leads to diabetes.
D) Obesity is associated with heredity.
E) Adultery leads to divorce.

Question 43

_____ is a data collection method that includes questionnaires, face-to-face or telephone interviews, or a combination.

A) Survey
B) Field research
C) Secondary analysis
D) Causation
E) Cohesion

Question 44

Nonprobability samples are especially useful when sociologists:

A) need to give an equal chance of selection to each person in a population.
B) need to generalize the results to a larger population.
C) are researching a subject that is as sensitive and important as medicine.
D) attempt to get a representative cross section of a population.
E) want to get people's insights on a particular topic before launching a larger study.

Question 45

Kyra wants to carry out research to study depression in teenage students. She visits a school and randomly chooses 200 teenage students to be part of her study. Which of the following sampling methods is used by Kyra to carry out her research?

A) Convenience sampling
B) Probability sampling
C) Judgment sampling
D) Dependent sampling
E) Constant sampling

Question 46

_____ is the relationship between two or more variables.

A) Correlation
B) Crepitation
C) Causation
D) Cognition
E) Cohesion

Question 47

Michelle is presenting her research at a local conference. She has concluded that the program she reviewed is very effective in its mission. According to the steps in the scientific method, using the deductive approach, Michelle is:

A) selecting the topic for her research.
B) collecting data for her research.
C) analyzing and explaining the results of her research.
D) reviewing the previous works related to her research.
E) choosing a research design for her research.

Question 48

_____ provide information on characteristics like national college graduation rates.

A) Quantitative data
B) Nonnumeric data
C) Qualitative data
D) Incomputable data
E) Inductive data

Question 49

A(n) _____ is one in which each person or thing, like an email address, has an equal chance of being selected because the selection process is random.

A) probability sample
B) dependent variable
C) nonprobability sample
D) independent variable
E) control variable

Question 50

Sociologists and other scientists try to establish correlation because _____.

A) causation is difficult to prove
B) causation is restricted only to humans
C) causation is restricted only to inductive reasoning
D) causation does not work for qualitative research
E) causation is an obsolete method

Question 51

Which of the following is the most desirable characteristic of a probability sample?

A) The results of a probability sample can be generalized to the larger population.
B) There is no attempt to get a representative cross section of the population in a probability sample.
C) A sampling criterion is used in the probability sampling approach.
D) A probability sample is useful when sociologists are exploring a new topic.
E) A probability sample is not representative of a population.

Question 52

In a(n) _____, there's little or no attempt to get a representative cross section of the population.

A) convenience sample
B) nonprobability sample
C) nonjudgmental sample
D) independent sample
E) constant sample

Question 53

In obtaining a sample, researchers decide whether to use:

A) probability or nonprobability sampling.
B) dependent or independent sampling.
C) constant or variable sampling.
D) reliable or nonreliable sampling.
E) controlled or uncontrolled sampling.

Question 54

Murray outlines his sampling technique, the sample size, and the characteristics of the respondents in his research. According to the steps in the scientific method, using the deductive approach, Murray is:

A) presenting the results of his research.
B) collecting data for his research.
C) analyzing the results of his research.
D) reviewing the literature for his research.
E) describing the data collection methods used in his research.

Question 55

Peter is sending out questionnaires via e-mail to 7,000 students on campus to gather data about their eating habits. Which of the following data collection methods is most likely used by Peter in this scenario?

A) Survey
B) Field research
C) Experiment
D) Evaluation research
E) Secondary analysis

Question 56

Data that is collected at one point in time is known as _____.

A) dependent data
B) longitudinal data
C) scientific data
D) cross-sectional data
E) random data

Question 57

Identify a true statement about longitudinal studies.

A) They are a principal way for researchers to deal with the time issue.
B) They are only useful when data about a particular year is needed.
C) They are collected from same respondents at the same point in time.
D) They are collected from different respondents at the same point in time.
E) They use data collected at one point in time.

Question 58

_____ is a relationship in which one variable is the direct consequence of another.

A) Correlation
B) Crepitation
C) Causation
D) Cognition
E) Cohesion

Question 59

Identify a statement that is most likely an example of causation.

A) Illiteracy is associated with poverty.
B) Sexually transmitted diseases are linked to unsafe sex.
C) Teen suicide is linked with relationship issues.
D) Obesity is associated with heredity.
E) Adultery is associated with divorce.

Question 60

When viewers vote for the contestants of television entertainment shows, such as The Voice or Dancing with the Stars, they are an example of a(n):

A) convenience sample.
B) nonprobability sample.
C) nonjudgmental sample.
D) independent sample.
E) constant sample.

Question 61

Sociological research sharpens critical thinking skills. Justify this statement with an example.

Question 62

What do sociologists focus on during quantitative research? Explain with an example.

Question 63

What do sociologists examine in qualitative research? Explain with an example.

Question 64

_____ are preferred because the results can be generalized to a larger population.

A) Random sample surveys
B) Cross-sectional sample surveys
C) Nonprobability sample surveys
D) Specialized surveys
E) Class-specific surveys

Question 65

Is correlation the same as causation?

Question 66

Does sociological research challenge overgeneralization?

Question 67

Which of the following is a limitation of secondary analysis of existing data?

A) The data is mostly inaccessible.
B) This method is inconvenient and tedious.
C) This method is expensive when compared with other methods.
D) Researchers cannot look at trends and changes over time.
E) Determining the accuracy and authenticity of historical data may be difficult.

Question 68

Why do many people reject scientific findings? Give reasons.

Question 69

Explain independent, dependent, and control variables.

Question 70

In the procedure called _____, an interviewer uses a computer to select random telephone numbers, reads the questions to a respondent from a computer screen, and then enters the answers in precoded spaces, saving time and expense by not having to reenter the data after the interview.

A) volunteering
B) computer-assisted telephone interviewing
C) digital voicing
D) computer-interviewer manipulation
E) manual-telephone interviewing

Question 71

Karan, a sociologist, examines a sports magazine to focus on advertisements that portray men in a stereotypical manner. Identify the method of data collection that Karan is using in this case.

A) Secondary analysis
B) Experiments
C) Surveys
D) Field research
E) Content analysis

Question 72

What are the seven steps present in the scientific method?

Question 73

Which of the following is a major limitation of surveys that use mailed questionnaires?

A) They are expensive.
B) They are not anonymous.
C) They are tedious to administer.
D) They have low response rates.
E) They have a slow turnaround.

Question 74

Which of the following is an advantage of evaluation research?

A) It is versatile because it includes qualitative and quantitative approaches.
B) It addresses all the factors that affect behavior.
C) It is not affected by any social contexts.
D) Conflicts of interest do not influence evaluation research.
E) The findings of evaluation research are always reliable, unbiased, and accurate.

Question 75

Sociologists are always concerned about reliability and validity. How do reliability and validity differ from each other?

Question 76

Researchers have two principal ways of dealing with the time issue. What are they?

Question 77

Discuss the importance of reliability and validity in the scientific method with examples.

Question 78

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau mails forms to every home in the United States to collect federally mandated data. Which of the following data collection methods is used by the Census Bureau?

A) Secondary analysis
B) Field research
C) Experiment
D) Survey
E) Evaluation research

Question 79

Explain deductive and inductive reasoning.

Question 80

Explain the importance of research methods with an example.