Deck 6: Developing Questionnaires and Surveys

Question 1

Overconfidence in polling data from 1936 and 1948 were most likely caused by:

A) biased self-reports
B) non-random sampling
C) changing opinions of voters
D) all of the above

Answer 1

non-random sampling

Question 2

Polling the opinions of a complete population is properly referred to as:

A) a census
B) an exhaustive survey
C) a population survey
D) a probability sample

Answer 2

a census

Question 3

Systematic sampling is a form of random sampling.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

A principal wants to gauge the opinions of different student clubs and groups in a large urban high school. The school enrolls more women than men and is racially and ethnically diverse. The principal wants to try to get representatives from all subgroups in the sample, so he should probably rely on:

A) systematic sampling
B) random sampling
C) stratified sampling
D) convenience sampling

Question 5

A parent polls the PTA (Parent and Teachers Association) members who show up to a meeting to learn how they feel about a fundraising opportunity. This form of sampling is best described as:

A) systematic sampling
B) random sampling
C) stratified sampling
D) convenience sampling

Question 6

A scale that asks you to indicate if you are "married," "single," or "other" is an example of a:

A) nominal scale
B) ordinal scale
C) interval scale
D) ratio scale

Question 7

You complete a extraversion scale that provides scores between 1 and 100, where a higher score means you are more outgoing. This scale is best described as a:

A) nominal scale
B) ordinal scale
C) interval scale
D) ratio scale

Question 8

The item "I am friendly and open-minded" is best characterized as an example of a:

A) Likert scale question
B) sequenced question
C) ordinal scale question
D) double-barreled question

Question 9

When a respondent declines to report even a minor character flaw (e.g., reading tabloid newspapers) in response to a survey or a questionnaire, she may be demonstrating:

A) social desirability response bias
B) a halo effect
C) yea-saying
D) none of the above

Question 10

How do opinion polls conducted in the 1936 and 1948 Presidential Elections reveal the need to always have random samples drawn from the eligible population of voters?

Question 11

In Wilson and Schooler's (1991) jam evaluation study, why did the people who analyzed the reasons for their feelings rank the jams differently than those in the control group? What can students of social psychology and survey research learn from these results?

Question 12

Explain systematic sampling. Are such samples random? Why or why not?

Question 13

When should a researcher rely on stratified sampling? Provide an example illustrating the use of this probability sampling.

Question 14

Convenience or haphazard samples are nonprobability samples, yet many studies in outside social psychology rely on them. Why? Are such samples empirically defensible?

Question 15

How do quota samples differ from stratified samples? Why are these forms of sampling somewhat similar to each other?

Question 16

Give an example of each of the four scales of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. Which are quantitative scales? Which are qualitative?

Question 17

How do open-ended questions differ from close-ended questions? When is one type preferred over the other? Give an example of each type of question.

Question 18

Why are Likert scales so common in social psychological research? Provide an example.

Question 19

When planning a research project, why does the length of a questionnaire matter?

Question 20

Why are double-barreled questions a problem for respondents as well as researchers? Provide an example of such a question in order to illustrate the points you raise in your answer.

Question 21

Why can how questions are sequenced in a questionnaire or survey influence the responses people give?

Question 22

How should social psychologists go about asking people to reveal sensitive information about themselves?

Question 23

As a response bias, how does social desirability differ from halo effects? Provide an example of each.

Question 24

What is "yea-saying"? How do social psychologists and other survey researchers reduce "yea-saying" when collecting self-report data?