Deck 4: Classifying Research

Question 1

If body weight decreases after sustained physical exercise, then the correlation between body weight and calorie intake is:

A) Positive
B) Negative
C) Cannot be determined with the available information

Answer 1

B

Question 2

When a researcher fails to confirm all three causal rules but concludes a causal relationship exists, we call this relationship:

A) reductionist.
B) ecological.
C) reductive.
D) spurious.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

If 'A' happens before 'B' and there is a predictable correlation between these two variables, is that enough to conclude that 'A' is a cause of 'B'?

A) Yes, this is enough.
B) No, the researcher has not considered plausible alternative explanations.
C) No, it is impossible to establish causal relationships in social research.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A researcher finds a strong and positive relationship between drug use and criminal behavior. With this information alone can the researcher conclude that drug use is the cause of criminal behavior?

A) Yes, this is enough to establish a causal relationship between drug use and crime.
B) No, the researcher has failed to consider plausible alternative explanations.
C) No, it is impossible to find a cause for crime.

Question 5

If crime decreases following an increase in police patrols, then the correlation between crime and police patrols is:

A) Positive
B) Negative
C) Cannot be determined with the available information

Question 6

If crime increases following an increase in gang activities, then the correlation between crime and gang activity is:

A) Positive
B) Negative
C) Cannot be determined with the available information

Question 7

A psychologist who recently treated a correctional officer for a stress-related illness concludes that "most correctional officers experience debilitating stress associated with their jobs." Which type of logical error did the psychologist commit?

A) An ecological fallacy
B) Reductionism
C) Spuriousness
D) Unreliable

Question 8

Because the research suggests that police officers are more likely as a group to experience alcoholism, the chief of police concluded that Officer Smith's recent illness was likely caused by his excessive drinking. Which type of logical error did the chief of police commit?

A) Spuriousness
B) Invalid
C) An ecological fallacy
D) Reductionism

Question 9

A researcher conducts a secondary analysis of census data to understand how different counties in one state compare with respect to rates of poverty. What is the researcher's unit of analysis?

A) The census
B) The counties
C) Poverty rates
D) The state

Question 10

A researcher conducts a comparative analysis to determine how the rate of sexual assaults compares between European nations. What is the researcher's unit of analysis?

A) Sexual assaults
B) European nations
C) Rates of sexual assaults
D) Cannot be determined from the information provided

Question 11

Spuriousness means:

A) that the researcher has made a computational error during the analysis of the data.
B) that the researcher has failed to fully establish a causal relationship between two or more variables.
C) that the relationship is totally causal.
D) that the research has produced findings that may be objectionable to some people.

Question 12

A study of juvenile delinquency reveals a strong correlation between illegal drug use and delinquent acts. The researcher concludes that illegal drug use is the cause of delinquent acts. Looking at the same data, another researcher comes to the conclusion that delinquent acts lead to illegal drug use. Which causal rule are both researchers forgetting here?

A) Temporal order
B) Correlation
C) Lack of plausible alternative explanations
D) None. All three causal rules have been established.

Question 13

A recent analysis of aggravated assaults in a northern city reveals that aggravated assaults tend to increase during the warmest months of the year and decrease during the coldest months of the year. In this case, we would say which of the following about the correlation between temperature and aggravated assaults?

A) The correlation is positive
B) The correlation is negative
C) There is no correlation
D) Inconclusive

Question 14

If body weight increases after a sustained increase in calorie intake, then the correlation between body weight and calorie intake is:

A) Positive
B) Negative
C) Cannot be determined with the available information

Question 15

If the statement, ""A lack of education is a cause of crime,"" is true then, which variable must have happened first?

A) A lack of education
B) Crime
C) Neither

Question 16

The causal rule that the cause must precede (happen before) the effect is referred to as:

A) Correlation
B) Spuriousness
C) Temporal order
D) Plausibility

Question 17

You have completed a study on the alleged causal relationship between the moon phase and street crime. You determined that there is no correlation between the phase of the moon and the rate of reported street crimes, despite the fact that many of your colleagues in the police department strongly believe there is. Your research reveals that the relationship between the moon phase and street crime is:

A) reductionism.
B) spurious.
C) an ecological fallacy.
D) inconclusive.

Question 18

A line graph that slants higher from right to left is representative of:

A) a positive correlation.
B) a negative correlation.
C) no correlation.
D) Inconclusive

Question 19

A line graph that slants higher from left to right is representative of:

A) a positive correlation.
B) a negative correlation.
C) no correlation.
D) Inconclusive

Question 20

A recent analysis of vehicular burglaries in a northern city reveals that, on average, there are 25 vehicular burglaries throughout the city each month. About as many occur during the winter months as do during the summer months. In this case, we would say which of the following about the correlation between temperature and vehicular burglaries?

A) The correlation is positive
B) The correlation is negative
C) There is no correlation
D) Inconclusive

Question 21

A recent analysis of domestic violence in a northern city reveals that domestic violence incidents tend to increase during the coldest months of the year (i.e., winter) and decrease during the warmest months of the year (i.e., summer) In this case, we would say which of the following about the correlation between temperature and domestic violence?

A) The correlation is positive
B) The correlation is negative
C) There is no correlation
D) Inconclusive

Question 22

A researcher conducts a survey of state prisons to determine how much time it takes officials to process newly admitted inmates into the prison system. What is the researcher's unit of analysis?

A) State prisons
B) Officials
C) Inmates
D) The prison system

Question 23

A researcher conducts interviews with police officers to study how they cope with the everyday stresses associated with their jobs. What is the researcher's unit of analysis?

A) Police officers
B) Interviews
C) Jobs
D) Stresses

Question 24

A teacher who reads a research report finding that minority students tend to speak loudly and concludes that each minority student in her classroom must be told to speak softly in the classroom is making what type of logical error?

A) An ecological fallacy
B) Reductionism
C) Spuriousness
D) Prejudice

Question 25

A teacher who observes a small group of minority students talking loud in the hallway and concludes that young minorities are taught to talk loudly is making what type of logical error?

A) An ecological fallacy
B) Reductionism
C) Spuriousness
D) Racist

Question 26

A researcher who notices that Southerners appear to be more aggressive and develops a theory that Southerners are more violent is using what type of reasoning?

A) Deductive
B) Inductive
C) Conceptual
D) Operational

Question 27

A researcher who theorizes that Southerners are more violent and then collects data to test this theory is using what type of reasoning?

A) Deductive
B) Inductive
C) Conceptual
D) Operational

Question 28

A researcher who subjectively measures age based on responses to questions about economic and social independence is using what type of measure?

A) Quantitative
B) Qualitative
C) Conceptual
D) Operational

Question 29

A researcher who objectively measures age by the number of anniversaries of a person's birthdate is using what type of measure?

A) Quantitative
B) Qualitative
C) Conceptual
D) Operational

Question 30

The time dimension of a survey given to college freshmen every year for ten years is:

A) longitudinal.
B) a panel study.
C) a cohort.
D) a trend.

Question 31

The time dimension of a survey given to the same cohort of juveniles each year for ten years is:

A) longitudinal.
B) a panel study.
C) a cohort.
D) a trend.

Question 32

The time dimension of a one-time survey on public drunkenness is:

A) cross sectional.
B) longitudinal.
C) a one-shot case study.
D) a panel study.

Question 33

A criminal justice professor does a lot of research on the effect of poverty on juvenile delinquency. She hopes to use her research findings to provide information on how to structure poverty reduction programs. What research paradigm is this researcher following?

A) Positivist
B) Interpretive
C) Critical
D) Marxist

Question 34

After completing research on crimes committed by girls, a researcher concludes that "when girls commit crimes, they do not consider their behavior criminal. Instead, they consider their behavior a normal response to social inequality." What research paradigm is this researcher following?

A) Positivist
B) Interpretive
C) Critical
D) Neo-positivist

Question 35

A researcher concludes, "The majority of individuals who are arrested for driving while intoxicated are males between the ages of 22 and 35." Based on this statement, what was the most likely purpose of this research project?

A) Exploratory
B) Descriptive
C) Explanatory
D) Probabilistic

Question 36

A researcher theorized that correctional officers become personally detached from inmates as a means of reducing the stress associated with their professional responsibilities. Subsequent observations of correctional officers supported this theory. What method of reasoning is this researcher using?

A) Deductive
B) Inductive
C) Theoretical
D) Observational

Question 37

After observing their behavior for several months, a researcher theorized that correctional officers become personally detached from inmates as a means of reducing the stress associated with their professional responsibilities. What method of reasoning is this researcher using?

A) Deductive
B) Inductive
C) Theoretical
D) Observational

Question 38

A research project revealed that 80% of all adult offenders did not receive religious instruction as children. What is the most likely nature of the data used in this research project?

A) Operational
B) Qualitative
C) Quantitative
D) Conceptual

Question 39

A research project revealed that feelings of guilt were expressed by adult offenders who grew up in a religious household. What is the most likely nature of the data used in this research project?

A) Quantitative
B) Operational
C) Conceptual
D) Qualitative

Question 40

To evaluate the effect of a drug prevention program delivered to junior high school students, a researcher will conduct follow up surveys of the students each year until 12th grade. What is the time dimension of this research project?

A) Cross-sectional
B) Trend study
C) Panel study
D) Point in time

Question 41

A researcher will conduct a survey of 100 women who are victims of domestic abuse to determine the circumstances surrounding their decision to call the police for help. What is the time dimension of this research project?

A) Cross-sectional
B) Trend study
C) Panel study
D) Cohort study

Question 42

To understand the changing demographic characteristics of juvenile offenders, a researcher will survey a random sample of 1,000 juvenile offenders every five years over the next 15 years. What is the time dimension of this research project?

A) Cross-sectional
B) Trend study
C) Panel study
D) Point in time

Question 43

A researcher concludes, "The analysis reveals that the pressure to 'fit into the group' is the most likely cause of corruption among police officers." Based on this statement, what was the most likely purpose of this research project?

A) Predictive
B) Descriptive
C) Explanatory
D) Exploratory

Question 44

A researcher concludes, "The data reveal that an increasing number of teens involved in traffic accidents report that they were texting at the time." Based on this statement, what was the most likely purpose of this research project?

A) Exploratory
B) Predictive
C) Explanatory
D) Descriptive

Question 45

A researcher conducting research to determine if low self-esteem as a cause of crime is best described as a(n):

A) positivist.
B) interpretive.
C) critical.
D) Marxist.