Deck 6: Observational Methods

Question 1

The goal of naturalistic observation is to:

A) test hypotheses formed prior to the study.
B) conduct research in experimental rather than real environments.
C) get quick answers to theoretical questions.
D) provide a complete and accurate picture of what occurred in a setting.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

In the context of participation and concealment,concealed observation:

A) is preferable from an ethical viewpoint.
B) is more reactive than nonconcealed observation.
C) may influence and alter the behavior of those being observed.
D) may lead to an invasion of privacy of the participants at times.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

When the conclusions of research are based on the interpretations of the investigator,_____ research has been employed.However,if the conclusions are based upon statistical analyses of the data,_____ research has been employed.

A) nonobservational;observational
B) qualitative;quantitative
C) quantitative;qualitative
D) observational;nonobservational

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Dr.Liu participates in a police ride-along program in order to examine the day-to-day activities of police officers.This method of gathering information may best be described as a(n)_____.

A) experimental analysis
B) survey
C) naturalistic observation
D) archival study

Question 5

If you ask teenagers to describe the behaviors of their parents that most upsets them,you would be using a(n)_____ approach of data collection.

A) archival
B) experimental
C) qualitative
D) quantitative

Question 6

_____ observation is sometimes called field work or simply field observation.

A) Systematic
B) Experimental
C) Archival
D) Naturalistic

Question 7

What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative methods of describing behavior?

A) Qualitative research focuses on people behaving in natural settings,whereas quantitative research focuses on specific behaviors that can be easily counted.
B) Quantitative research emphasizes collecting information from a few individuals,whereas qualitative research emphasizes collecting data from higher number of individuals.
C) Quantitative research draws conclusions based on interpretations of the investigator,whereas conclusions in qualitative research are based upon statistical analysis of data.
D) Quantitative research focuses on people describing their world in their own words,whereas qualitative research focuses on people describing their experiences under experimental conditions.

Question 8

The data in naturalistic observation studies are primarily _____ in nature.

A) quantitative
B) qualitative
C) subjective
D) objective

Question 9

The best method to test the hypothesis that male elephants are more socially dominant than female elephants would be a(n)_____.

A) archival research
B) experimental analysis
C) case study
D) naturalistic observation

Question 10

A good naturalistic observation will support the analysis by using:

A) correlational analysis.
B) multiple confirmations.
C) only qualitative data.
D) only quantitative data.

Question 11

A researcher wants to gather information on citizens' reactions to the building of a new airport in their neighborhood.She gathers groups of citizens and asks them to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed airport.This type of data gathering can be referred to as a(n)______ approach.

A) intrinsic
B) quantitative
C) qualitative
D) extrinsic

Question 12

Which of the following is an accurate statement about participant observation?

A) The researcher may lose the objectivity to conduct scientific observation.
B) The researcher will not be able to experience events in the same way as natural participants.
C) The researcher does not become an active part of the setting.
D) The researcher always makes unbiased observations.

Question 13

Anastasia is interested in studying the parental behaviors displayed by sea turtles.She spends three months scuba diving off the Mexican coast observing and recording the range of behaviors that the sea turtles there display.This research method can be categorized as:

A) content analysis.
B) naturalistic observation.
C) archival research.
D) experimental analysis.

Question 14

Tracy wants to study the different behavioral patterns displayed by the members of her organization through naturalistic participant observation.Which of the following will be true of her study?

A) She might lose the objectivity required to conduct scientific observation.
B) She will not be able to support the results of her study with multiple confirmations.
C) She is unlikely to be biased and her conclusions will be free of subjectivity.
D) She will most likely use quantitative statistical data rather than qualitative data.

Question 15

If zoologists wanted to study how tigers interact with each other in their habitats,which of these research methods will they most likely use?

A) Content analysis
B) Naturalistic observation
C) Archival research
D) Experimental analysis

Question 16

In _____,the researcher makes observations of individuals in their natural environments.

A) naturalistic observations
B) laboratory experiments
C) observational learning
D) environmental researches

Question 17

Dr.Baumgartner wants to study how a group of 4^th graders spends time on different daily activities.He asks the children to indicate the amount of time they spend per day watching television,playing video games,and studying.This type of data gathering technique would be an example of a(n)_____ approach.

A) intrinsic
B) quantitative
C) qualitative
D) extrinsic

Question 18

Maria examines self-disclosure that occurs between males and females by monitoring Internet discussion groups.Which method of research does this best illustrate?

A) Experimental method
B) Archival research
C) Case study
D) Naturalistic observation

Question 19

When Mrs.Gonzalez asks elementary school children to indicate the number of books they had borrowed from the school library during the past month,what type of observational method is she using?

A) Archival
B) Experimental
C) Qualitative
D) Quantitative

Question 20

Which of the following is an advantage of conducting a naturalistic observation?

A) It can be used to study all issues or phenomena.
B) It can be used to provide a complete and accurate picture of what occurred in a setting.
C) Its process of analysis that follows the completion of a research is simple.
D) It allows studying well-defined hypotheses under precisely specified conditions.

Question 21

A researcher codes the nonverbal behaviors of married couples while they are discussing child-rearing methods.The method of study used in this scenario is _____.

A) naturalistic observation
B) systematic observation
C) a survey
D) a case study

Question 22

_____ refers to the careful observation of one or more specific behaviors in a particular setting.

A) Archival research
B) Content analysis
C) Systematic observation
D) Experimental analysis

Question 23

A researcher examines the accounting records of Noren Corporation for the past five years in order to determine why the company filed for bankruptcy.This research method can be regarded as an example of:

A) systematic observation.
B) concealed observation.
C) a field experiment.
D) a case study.

Question 24

Data in systematic observation studies are most likely to be:

A) quantitative.
B) qualitative.
C) hypothetical.
D) nonempirical.

Question 25

Observing the honking patterns and hand gestures displayed by drivers to understand aggressive driving behaviors is an example of _____ observation.

A) concealed
B) systematic
C) qualitative
D) archival

Question 26

Which of the following is an accurate statement about systematic observation?

A) Systematic observation research is much more global than naturalistic observation research.
B) In systematic observation studies,the researcher frequently has developed prior hypotheses about the behaviors.
C) Very few behaviors can be studied using systematic observation.
D) Systematic observation is sometimes called field work or simply field observation.

Question 27

The observational method that provides a description of an individual is called _____.

A) systematic observation
B) concealed observation
C) a field experiment
D) a case study

Question 28

Television documentaries in which individuals let filmmakers record their private moments are an example of _____.

A) experimental research
B) nonconcealed observation
C) content analysis
D) archival studies

Question 29

Daniela and Alicia are conducting a systematic observation study on children's aggressive behavior in the playground.Daniela concludes that boys display more aggressive behaviors than do girls,whereas Alicia concludes the opposite.Which methodological issue would be of most concern in this study?

A) Reactivity
B) Sampling bias
C) Validity
D) Reliability

Question 30

Julia observes a child's behavior after he had watched 15 minutes of violent cartoons.She codes the child's behavior every 30 seconds based on the number of times he hits,kicks,pushes,or bites another child.This observational technique can best be described as _____ observation.

A) naturalistic
B) systematic
C) random
D) archival

Question 31

In the context of systematic observation,which methodological issue refers to the possibility that the presence of the observer will affect people's behaviors?

A) Contiguity
B) Reactivity
C) Validity
D) Reliability

Question 32

In a systematic observation study,two different people use the same coding system to analyze the same videotape.The level of agreement between the two observers is then determined.Which methodological issue in systematic observation does this activity address?

A) Reactivity
B) Reliability
C) Sampling
D) Validity

Question 33

Naturalistic observation is less useful than other research methods for:

A) investigating complex social settings.
B) developing theories based on observation.
C) making observations in a natural setting over an extended period of time.
D) studying well-defined hypotheses under precisely specified conditions.

Question 34

In which of the following research methods do researchers use coding systems to measure behaviors?

A) Archival research
B) Naturalistic observation
C) Systematic observation
D) Case studies

Question 35

When conducting systematic observation,two or more raters are usually used to code behavior.In this case,reliability is indicated by:

A) high agreement among the raters.
B) less reactivity among the participants.
C) high agreement among the participants.
D) less reactivity among the raters.

Question 36

A disadvantage of naturalistic observation is that it cannot be used to:

A) study all issues or phenomena.
B) investigate complex social settings.
C) provide a complete picture of what occurred in a setting.
D) develop theories based on the observations of the study.

Question 37

Roberto bullies his younger brother in the absence of his parents.However,when they are around,he is very affectionate toward his brother.In this scenario,Roberto's behavior best exemplifies _____.

A) contiguity
B) reactivity
C) proximity
D) reliability

Question 38

A major difference between systematic observation and naturalistic observation is that systematic observation:

A) studies behavior in a natural setting,whereas naturalistic observation does not.
B) employs concealed observation,whereas naturalistic observation employs nonconcealed observation.
C) observes specific behaviors in specific settings unlike naturalistic observation.
D) is much more global than naturalistic observation research.

Question 39

In the context of systematic observation,the use of hidden cameras to record the license plate numbers of drivers who fail to obey traffic signals can result in ______.

A) reduced reactivity
B) increased reactance
C) lesser reliability
D) greater reliability

Question 40

A two-year account of the progress of a manic-depressive patient who is undergoing psychiatric care is an example of _____.

A) a field experiment
B) a case study
C) participant observation
D) naturalistic observation

Question 41

A researcher conducted an in-depth examination of the life of Adolf Hitler and concluded that there are three possible reasons that explain why he killed so many Jews.This research approach is an example of a _____.

A) field experiment
B) psychobiography
C) systematic biography
D) naturalistic observation study

Question 42

Nailah and Salama examined award-winning films of the past 20 years to determine if their stories had a common theme.What type of archival research approach have they most likely used?

A) Mass communication records
B) Survey archives
C) Systematic observations
D) Self-reports

Question 43

Julie,a researcher,analyzed data from the National Science Foundation's (NSF)General Social Survey to examine the relationship between education and job satisfaction.This research approach may be best categorized as _____.

A) naturalistic observation
B) systematic observation
C) survey archive
D) content analysis

Question 44

Which of the following is an accurate statement about case studies?

A) Case studies are not useful for examining rare or unusual events.
B) Case studies are not useful in providing descriptions of individuals.
C) Case studies do not overlap with naturalistic observation.
D) Case studies do not necessarily involve naturalistic observation.

Question 45

To determine if more building permits are issued in the northern part of a city than in its southern part,Chang examines the number of building permits issued in both parts of the city over the last five years.Which of the following archival research approaches is being used by Chang?

A) Case studies
B) Field experiments
C) Survey archives
D) Statistical records

Question 46

Dr.Gong has developed a coding system for aggressive behaviors displayed in comic books.She had her assistants read comic books published between 1980 and 1984 and record the number of aggressive acts displayed in each comic.She also had her assistants read comic books published between 1985 and 1989 and record the number of aggressive acts displayed in them.This approach to studying aggressive behavior may best be categorized as _____.

A) a survey research
B) naturalistic observation
C) a cohort study
D) content analysis

Question 47

Salma studies historical data published by the United States Census Bureau to determine if there has been an increase in the population of African Americans over the last decade.This study is an example of a(n)_____.

A) naturalistic observation
B) psychobiography
C) field experiment
D) archival research

Question 48

In the context of archival research,_____ are documents such as diaries and letters that have been preserved by historical societies.

A) survey archives
B) statistical records
C) written records
D) verbal statements

Question 49

Content analysis and systematic observation are similar because both _____.

A) require researchers to devise coding systems
B) depend on qualitative data
C) are forms of laboratory experiments
D) require concealed participation

Question 50

Survey archives are beneficial because they:

A) are useful for examining rare or unusual events.
B) allow researchers to save time and money in collecting data.
C) help in examining specific behaviors of an individual.
D) help researchers to explain the life of an individual.

Question 51

The systematic analysis of existing documents is known as _____.

A) quantitative research
B) transactional analysis
C) content analysis
D) case study

Question 52

A researcher wants to understand if people's age and their religious affiliations are related to political conservatism.To do so,he analyzes data available from the Inter University Consortium for Political and Social Research.In this case,which type of research approach is employed by the researcher?

A) A case study
B) A field experiment
C) A survey archive
D) A participant observation

Question 53

A _____ is a type of case study in which a researcher applies psychological theory to explain the life of an individual.

A) psychopathology
B) systematic biography
C) psychobiography
D) statistical case study

Question 54

A researcher wants to test the assertion that in comparison to female politicians,male politicians in the 20^th century were involved in more number of fraud cases.Which will be the most suitable observation method in this scenario?

A) Archival research
B) Survey
C) Naturalistic observation
D) Field experiment

Question 55

In a cross-cultural study on the topic of mortality,Vladimir examined anthropologists' descriptions of different cultural beliefs regarding life after death.Which archival approach has he most likely employed?

A) Statistical records
B) Survey reports
C) Written records
D) Self-reports

Question 56

Dr.Michael examines messages displayed on Internet bulletin boards in order to study whether males and females differ in the way they describe themselves when interacting with others.What type of archival research data is Dr.Michael using?

A) Statistical records
B) Survey archives
C) Written records
D) Video observation

Question 57

Harvey examines baseball records to determine whether National League teams who play the final game of the World Series at home lose more often than American League teams.Which of the following archival research approaches is Harvey using in this scenario?

A) Survey archives
B) Statistical records
C) Self-report
D) Anthropological data

Question 58

A researcher studies letters to the editor of a magazine to assess community attitudes.The research method used in this scenario can be regarded as _____.

A) statistical records
B) survey archives
C) written records
D) case studies

Question 59

The research approach in which the researcher does not actually collect original data but analyzes already existing data is called _____.

A) a psychobiography
B) a field experiment
C) archival research
D) statistical reporting

Question 60

Case studies are most useful for studying:

A) rare or unusual events.
B) large populations.
C) ambiguous questions.
D) cognitive variables.

Question 61

Betsy wants to determine if the types of products advertised on television vary depending on the time of day.Which type of archival research approach should she employ in this scenario?

A) Survey archive
B) Content analysis
C) Statistical records
D) Written records

Question 62

Two researchers studied the relationship of positive emotions and longevity by examining smile intensity in photographs of major league players from the past and comparing it to their age at the time of death.This research method can be regarded as an example of _____.

A) naturalistic observation
B) case study
C) archival research
D) psychobiography

Question 63

Luis studies a newspaper's attitude toward candidates for the position of Police Chief by counting the number of positive and negative comments attributed to each candidate.Luis's research approach is an example of _____.

A) content analysis
B) survey archive
C) naturalistic observation
D) psychobiography

Question 64

What is true of archival data?

A) Archival data are a valuable supplement to more traditional data collection methods.
B) Archival data provides the most accurate information for researchers.
C) The use of archival data does not allow researchers to study interesting questions.
D) The advantage of archival data is that the desired records can be easily obtained.