Test Bank For Introduction to Sociology, 11th Edition

CHAPTER 2: Asking and Answering Sociological Questions MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. A recent study of Facebook users that attempted to predict whether our romantic relationships would last found that: a. if two people had the same group of friends, they had a higher likelihood of staying together b. if two people had different groups of friends, they had a higher likelihood of staying together c. the more friends people had, the less time people would spend single in between romantic relationships d. the fewer friends people had, the less time people would spend single in between romantic relationships ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 2. A research project sets out to use large amounts of objective data to describe the rates and averages of several characteristics of a population and the correlations between them. The method it will most likely need to use is _________. a. hypothesis testing b. observation c. quantitative d. qualitative ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Understanding 3. Which of the following studies best exemplifies a qualitative methodological approach? a. comparing test scores between students who had free breakfast versus those who b. observing the interactions between parents at a series of school-related meetings c. analyzing the correlation between gender and feeling represented in the political d. administering a survey asking objective questions about religious attendance and did not realm age ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Applying 4. The research method that relies on personal and group interviews and observation is called a(n) ________ approach. a. experimental b. sampling c. quantitative d. qualitative ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 5. In her 1986 book Uncoupling, Diane Vaughn uses what kind of research to focus on the rich details of how individuals dissolve their relationships? a. statistical b. interviews c. observation d. experiment ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 6. The strongest sociological research begins with problems that: a. answer socially pertinent questions related to policy b. are puzzles created by a gap in our understanding c. detail factual evidence that can be standardized d. explore new social phenomenon or events ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 7. What are the four basic standards that establish social research as scientific? a. generalizability, replicability, uncertainty, and reflexivity b. applicability, legibility, fluency, and sophistication c. certainty, quantifiability, size, and historicity d. abstraction, coherence, visualization, and objectivity ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 8. Sociologists studying a population to which they do not belong—for example, a white researcher studying Chinese Americans or a male researcher studying women—should employ which research standard? a. generalizability b. replicability c. uncertainty d. reflexivity ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Applying 9. Which of the following is the best example of a puzzle-solving research question? a. What proportion of the population holds strong religious beliefs? b. What accounts for the recent decline in the proportion of the population voting in presidential elections? c. How much has the divorce rate declined since the early 1980s? d. How far do the earnings of professional women lag behind those of men? ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 10. Sasha, a student in a sociology class, lost points on a graded research paper for not citing a famous study done five years earlier that was nearly identical to his own research. What step in the research process should he have done more carefully? a. define the research problem b. carry out the research c. interpret the results d. review the evidence/literature ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Understanding 11. For a research project in his sociology class, Jamal is studying eating disorders among college students. He is currently interviewing several subjects. What stage of the research process is he in now? a. define the research problem b. carry out the research c. interpret the results d. select an appropriate research design ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Applying 12. For a research project in his sociology class, Joe is studying cheating among college students. He is currently deciding between creating a questionnaire and conducting interviews. What stage of the research process is he in now? a. define the research problem b. carry out the research c. interpret the results d. select an appropriate research design ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Applying 13. For a research project in her sociology class, Joan has decided to study gender wage differences between men and women. What should be her next step? a. develop a hypothesis b. interpret the results c. report the findings d. review the literature ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Applying 14. For a research project in his sociology class, Jose is studying dating preferences among college students. He has already decided to conduct a survey of his classmates and has developed a hypothesis. What should be his next step? a. carry out the research b. define the research problem c. interpret the results d. report the findings ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Applying 15. A good hypothesis will be formulated in such a way that the: a. existing literature will have already answered the question b. factual material gathered will always disprove it c. factual material gathered will always support it d. factual material gathered will provide evidence either supporting or disproving it ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 16. Which of the following statements is an example of a hypothesis? a. Minority women are overrepresented in our sample. b. Nonmarital births accounted for one-third of all U.S. births in 2000. c. Most women, even unwed mothers, eventually marry. d. Unmarried mothers are less likely to marry men with college degrees. ANS: D DIF: Difficult REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Applying 17. A researcher will survey college students concerning their attitudes toward lowering the legal drinking age to 18. Which of the following is a good research hypothesis for this particular study? a. Students under age 21 will be more supportive of lowering the drinking age than students 21 and older. b. Opinions toward lowering the drinking age will not affect legislation. c. Most college students’ parents will oppose lowering the drinking age to 18. d. A majority of college students have consumed alcohol before age 21. ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Applying 18. Sociological research projects usually: a. provide the public with clear-cut and definitive answers to the research problem b. end up influencing the behavior of subjects rather than observing it c. create more research questions and problems d. allow us to use anecdotal information to illuminate social processes ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 19. Which statement best characterizes sociology in its early development? a. It focused on biological and physical phenomena. b. It focused on face-to-face interaction. c. It was a very empirical field. d. It was a very theoretical field. ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.2 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions: Historical Context OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 20. Beginning in the 1920s in American sociology, largely at the University of Chicago, the discipline of sociology began to transform in what way? a. There was a stronger attempt to make theoretical speculations more generalizable. b. There was a stronger attempt to ground sociological concepts and theories in facts and data. c. Sociological findings were increasingly applied to business and industry. d. Sociology began to look more like an art than a science. ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: 2.2 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions: Historical Context OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 21. Robert Park’s vision of sociology included: a. heavy use of statistics b. quantifying observations as much as possible c. a strong focus on theory d. a focus on careful firsthand observation ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.2 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions: Historical Context OBJ: Contrast Park’s and Ogburn’s visions of sociology as a science. Understand their influence on contemporary sociological research. MSC: 22. Remembering William Ogburn’s vision of sociology included: a. transforming sociology to look a lot more like the natural sciences b. focusing on the emotional experiences of its subjects c. getting involved in the lives of its subjects d. focusing on theory more than data ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: 2.2 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions: Historical Context OBJ: Contrast Park’s and Ogburn’s visions of sociology as a science. Understand their influence on contemporary sociological research. MSC: 23. Remembering Alice Goffman spent six years hanging out with and observing the everyday life of a group of black men who were on the run from the criminal justice system in a poor neighborhood in Philadelphia. a. Robert Park b. William Ogburn Her research methods most closely resemble the work of: c. Émile Durkheim d. Karl Marx ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: 2.2 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions: Historical Context OBJ: Contrast Park’s and Ogburn’s visions of sociology as a science. Understand their influence on contemporary sociological research. MSC: 24. Understanding Reilly, a sociology master’s student, wants to do research on the homeless in her city. She would like to provide a rich, detailed, inside view of being homeless. What research method should she choose? a. comparative research b. ethnography c. experiment d. survey ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. MSC: Applying 25. If a researcher would like to get in-depth information based on interviews and firsthand observations, she should use the methodological approach known as a(n) _________. a. survey b. pilot study c. ethnography d. experiment ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. MSC: Understanding 26. Recently, social scientists using participant observation have written about how their race, class, gender, and sexual orientation: a. affected their research due to power differences b. allowed them to be completely objective about their work c. caused many of them to go native d. did not affect the research process ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. MSC: Remembering 27. Using participant observation in the sociological research process requires: a. establishing a formal relationship with the leaders and members of the group b. creating a formal boundary between the researcher and the group c. using great skill and sensitivity in gaining the trust of numerous members of the group being studied d. group having little interaction with the group members or leaders, just the observation ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. MSC: Remembering 28. Which research method would be best to use if you wanted a large, representative sample of people’s attitudes toward married women with children working outside the home? a. survey b. life history c. experiment d. ethnography ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 29. MSC: Applying Tom develops a questionnaire for his study on Facebook usage that allows subjects to indicate whether they strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with various statements. These types of questions are known as: a. experimental b. fieldwork c. open-ended d. standardized ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 30. MSC: Applying Frank develops a questionnaire for his study on Internet dating. One of his questions asks, “How do you feel about Internet dating?” What type of question is this? a. contingency b. experimental c. fieldwork d. open-ended ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 31. MSC: Applying Kelly develops a questionnaire to test on a few subjects to find potential problems with it before conducting the full study. What is this trial run called? a. population study b. pilot study c. empirical study d. developmental study ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 32. MSC: Applying Kevin is interested in doing a study on student attitudes toward the general education requirements on his campus. He surveys 50 students. This small group of students he surveyed is known as the: a. population b. control group c. experimental group d. sample ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 33. MSC: Applying For a sample to accurately reflect the characteristics of the study population, it must be: a. very large b. public c. representative d. standardized ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 34. MSC: Remembering The main purpose of sampling is to: a. enhance the quality of your observations b. select cases that will support your research hypotheses c. select cases who are the most willing to participate in your study d. select a set of people who are representative of the population ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 35. MSC: Understanding In order for a sample to be representative, it must be selected with __________. a. randomization b. ethnography c. census-based data d. standardization ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 36. MSC: Understanding Random sampling makes a sample representative by ensuring that __________. a. the choice of the population being studied is arbitrary b. the questions have been standardized regardless of who is answering them c. everyone in the population has an equal probability of getting into the sample d. the questions people in the sample are asked varies in a random pattern ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 37. MSC: Remembering Which of the following describes an advantage of survey research? a. It allows us to see a situation from inside a particular group. b. It provides richer detail about a population than other methods. c. The response rates are usually high. d. Results can be easily quantified and analyzed. ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 38. MSC: Understanding What kind of research method would be best if your goal was to learn how the residents in a gated community feel about racial desegregation? a. surveys b. participant observation c. historical analysis d. experiment ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 39. MSC: Applying Why are experiments much less common in sociology than in the natural sciences? a. It is too difficult to find willing participants who meet the criteria of sociological studies. b. Sociological researchers must control all of the conditions, making experiments more laborious for them. c. Sociological researchers can bring only small groups into a laboratory setting, where people may behave unnaturally because they are being watched. d. Sociological researchers exercise unconscious prejudices while choosing experiment subjects. ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 40. MSC: Understanding Philip Zimbardo’s prison experiment involved setting up a make-believe jail and randomly assigning male student volunteers to the roles of guards and prisoners. The researcher concluded that: a. existing personal relationships interfered with students’ ability to assume their assigned roles b. behavior in prisons reflects individual personality characteristics of guards and prisoners c. behavior in prisons is strongly influenced by the nature of the prison setting d. students who were assigned to be guards developed leadership skills ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 41. MSC: Remembering A classic social science research study involved setting up a make-believe jail and randomly assigning male student volunteers to the roles of guards and prisoners. This research used what method? a. survey b. participant observation c. historical analysis d. experiment ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. MSC: Remembering 42. Which research method would best address the following research question: How much does participation in one session of an SAT preparation course affect students’ SAT scores? a. survey b. participant observation c. historical analysis d. experiment ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 43. MSC: Applying In an experiment on the effects of caffeine on the alertness of college students, student volunteers are randomly assigned to two groups. One group is given caffeinated coffee while the other group is given decaffeinated coffee. All participants then play a video game to assess their mental acuity, measured as their final score on the video game. In this study, the group that is given caffeinated coffee is called the: a. control group b. experimental group c. focus group d. population ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 44. MSC: Applying Theda Skocpol’s States and Social Revolutions: a. applied comparative research in a historical context that examined the social change of revolutions b. illustrated that enlisted men often ignored the commands of their officers c. was an illuminating experiment that could not be conducted today under more stringent federal regulations d. showed that social transformation is more common in a time of war than peace ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 45. MSC: Remembering Theda Skocpol’s States and Social Revolutions is an example of what type of research? a. survey b. participant observation c. experiment d. comparative-historical research ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. MSC: Remembering 46. In Waves of War, Andreas Wimmer reported the finding that since 1800, wars around the world have increasingly resulted from: a. class differences between workers and capitalists b. concerns over human rights violations c. disputes over land d. ethnic and nationalist concerns ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 47. MSC: Remembering Sociologists engage in historical analysis because: a. societies were more complex in the nineteenth century b. sociology is less equipped to study the modern world c. survey research and fieldwork are inadequate research methods d. a time perspective is frequently needed to make sense of a research problem ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 48. MSC: Remembering The mean, median, and mode are all types of _______________. a. measures of central tendency b. correlations c. degree of dispersal d. ranges ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 49. MSC: Remembering What calculation gives a researcher a good idea of how spread out a series of numbers is? a. mean b. median c. mode d. standard deviation ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 50. MSC: Remembering If two variables were completely correlated, their correlation coefficient would be: a. 0 b. 1 c. 10 d. 100 ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 51. MSC: Remembering What should be your first step when reading a table? a. Scan all of the information on the page to try to summarize the data provided. b. Read the headings on the table; they will provide information about the content. c. Read the full title; it is the researcher’s attempt to describe the data in the table. d. Read the footnotes; they contain the most important information. ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 52. MSC: Remembering Where can you locate the subject of the data in Table 2.2? Opinion of the United States: Comparison of Selected Nations PERCENTAGE OF PERSONS WHO HOLD A “FAVORABLE” (VS. “UNFAVORABLE”) OPINION OF THE UNITED STATES COU NTRY 22 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015 017 0 2 5 China 44 27 4 0 1 Egypt Franc e Germ Indo 9 3 1 n Jorda Mexi Pakis tan Polan 6 2 1 5 1 6 8 6 7 7 4 2 4 7 0 4 7 9 5 6 2 1 4 6 5 3 6 4 6 5 1 1 6 3 0 1 2 7 7 7 1 4 2 3 4 5 3 4 5 6 6 5 7 7 1 1 6 5 6 6 – 8 8 4 7 5 1 – 5 2 3 1 5 6 – 3 2 5 – 6 0 9 1 7 3 2 6 2 7 6 5 1 6 6 4 6 1 6 4 4 2 – 1 5 1 1 9 2 1 5 7 1 5 1 6 2 3 6 8 2 6 1 6 5 1 9 3 1 4 4 5 5 5 6 2 4 1 54 23 1 2 5 5 6 6 5 0 4 4 6 5 9 – 5 2 7 6 1 7 6 4 0 6 9 2 9 9 9 5 3 2 7 6 4 0 9 5 3 3 0 0 6 Russi a 6 22 37 d 7 – 6 co 4 3 0 3 4 1 7 3 2 4 7 5 5 2 4 3 21 15 2 3 1 4 8 7 2 0 80 7 2 9 4 2 33 Japa n 3 43 27 nesia 1 43 39 any 3 1 S. – 8 Korea Spain 13 4 U.K. U.S. 2 1 36 0 5 1 1 9 4 5 8 2 5 1 9 5 9 6 2 6 3 2 1 6 5 8 6 5 8 7 1 1 5 8 5 6 2 8 1 4 9 8 8 6 6 7 0 2 0 1 0 7 1 6 8 – 5 1 6 8 5 8 0 8 6 1 6 8 4 4 7 9 8 – 6 1 5 3 7 9 8 5 87 7 3 3 55 56 8 3 21 32 7 0 42 Turke y 5 0 8 8 3 – Source: Pew Research Center, 2017g. a. in the title b. in the headings along the top and left-hand side of the table c. in the footnotes d. in the sources at the bottom ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 53. MSC: Understanding What can be concluded from the source note of Table 2.2? Opinion of the United States: Comparison of Selected Nations PERCENTAGE OF PERSONS WHO HOLD A “FAVORABLE” (VS. “UNFAVORABLE”) OPINION OF THE UNITED STATES C 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 OUNTRY 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015 017 C hina 4 2 7 E gypt 0 Fr ance In pan 3 J 1 5 P 6 1 6 P 7 5 2 1 1 5 7 1 6 8 7 2 7 2 6 4 7 0 9 8 4 6 5 3 6 4 6 5 1 1 6 3 0 1 2 7 7 2 6 3 4 5 6 4 7 7 1 1 – 8 6 6 6 7 5 1 – 5 2 3 1 5 6 4 – 6 0 9 1 7 3 2 6 2 7 6 5 1 6 6 4 6 1 – 1 5 1 1 9 2 1 5 7 1 5 1 6 2 3 6 8 2 6 1 6 5 1 9 3 1 4 4 5 5 5 6 2 4 2 5 5 6 6 5 0 4 4 6 5 9 – 9 9 9 2 0 6 9 4 1 7 6 6 5 2 2 6 3 0 – 3 0 9 5 4 2 7 6 3 6 1 2 3 2 1 7 3 4 3 0 3 4 7 0 – exico 1 4 7 5 5 2 4 3 3 8 7 2 4 2 3 3 2 M oland – 2 3 9 4 7 2 0 0 Ja akistan 1 3 8 1 9 7 3 3 4 2 ordan – 9 G donesia 4 4 3 ermany 4 3 – 7 R ussia 5 2 3 S. S pain 3 T 3 6 0 5 0 4 2 7 5 1 1 4 4 7 9 5 8 8 1 6 8 5 0 9 0 2 6 9 6 8 5 2 7 6 3 2 1 6 5 8 6 8 8 1 1 5 4 5 5 9 8 1 4 2 1 1 8 6 6 7 5 0 1 2 7 1 6 8 – 5 1 6 5 3 2 5 1 8 6 8 0 5 1 – 6 1 5 8 6 5 9 8 3 5 7 3 5 7 7 8 9 4 7 3 1 8 4 3 1 4 5 2 6 U .S. – 4 5 5 6 2 U 4 2 2 3 .K. 8 4 1 urkey 1 – Korea 4 0 8 8 3 – Source: Pew Research Center, 2017g. a. The data were compiled in the past five years. b. The data were gathered from organizations in one country. c. The data have been taken from more than one source. d. The data are unbiased. ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. MSC: Understanding 54. In Jeff’s sample, the number of siblings each person has is as follows: one, two, three, four, and ten. What is the mean number of siblings in his sample? a. three b. four c. five d. six ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 55. MSC: Applying In Jeff’s sample, the number of siblings each person has is as follows: one, two, three, four, and ten. What is the median number of siblings in his sample? a. three b. four c. five d. six ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 56. MSC: Applying What is the most frequent figure in a series of numbers called? a. mean b. median c. mode d. standard deviation ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 57. MSC: Remembering All sociological research on human subjects poses some sort of: a. ethical dilemma regarding the subjects b. historical analysis of present-day culture c. need to use survey methods d. risk to the safety of the sociologist ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: 2.4 Unanswered Questions OBJ: Understand how research methods generate controversies and ethical dilemmas for sociologists. 58. MSC: Remembering How are the social sciences different from natural sciences? a. Social sciences study objects that are self-aware (that is, humans). b. Social sciences cannot connect theory with data. c. Social sciences cannot be systematic. d. Social sciences cannot conduct empirical studies. ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: 2.4 Unanswered Questions OBJ: Understand how research methods generate controversies and ethical dilemmas for sociologists. MSC: Understanding TRUE/FALSE 1. Scientific activity combines the creation of bold new modes of thought with the careful testing of hypotheses and ideas. ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 2. If the value of one variable goes up when the value of another variable goes down, a negative correlation exists. ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 3. MSC: Understanding The best way to measure the degree of dispersal for quantitative data is by using the median. ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 4. To study the homeless, you must actually live among them. ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 5. MSC: Understanding Social context may be causally linked to human behavior. ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: 2.4 Unanswered Questions OBJ: Understand how research methods generate controversies and ethical dilemmas for sociologists. MSC: Understanding MATCHING a. Standard deviation b. Mode c. Measures of central tendency d. Mean e. Correlation coefficient f. Median 1. Ways of calculating sets of data 2. The figure that occurs most frequently in a given set of data 3. The average 4. Measure of the degree to which one variable relates to another in a patterned way. 5. The middle of any set of figures 6. A way of calculating the degree of dispersal 1. ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 2. ANS: B DIF: MSC: Understanding Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 3. ANS: D DIF: MSC: Understanding Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 4. ANS: E DIF: MSC: Understanding Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 5. ANS: F DIF: MSC: Understanding Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 6. ANS: A DIF: MSC: Understanding Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. MSC: Understanding SHORT ANSWER 1. What is one major feature that helps distinguish science from other idea systems (such as religion)? ANS: Answers may vary but include: The goal of scientific research is inference, the research process is replicable, researchers specify all points of uncertainty, and researchers are reflexive about their role in the research process. DIF: Easy REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 2. What is one reason that sociologists might draw on other researchers’ ideas? ANS: Answers may vary but include: Reviewing evidence helps sociologists clarify the relevant issues and the appropriate research methods. DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 3. What are the three main methods used in sociological research? ANS: Ethnography, survey, and experiment DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 4. MSC: Remembering Who are sociologists able to study by employing the method of ethnography? ANS: Fairly small groups or communities DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 5. MSC: Remembering In one or two sentences, summarize ethnographer Alice Goffman’s findings about young black men. ANS: Answers may vary but include: With warrants out for their arrest, behaving like lawabiding citizens—going to work, living with their family, and showing up for court dates— actually put them at risk for further legal trouble. DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 6. MSC: Understanding What is one advantage of experiments over surveys or ethnographies? ANS: Answers may vary but include: Researchers can control particular variables, and experiments are usually easier for subsequent researchers to repeat. DIF: Easy REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 7. MSC: Remembering What are the pros and cons of conducting experiments in the field? ANS: Researcher has less control over conditions of experiments, but experiment is more likely to replicate real life than it would in a lab setting. DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 8. MSC: Understanding What is one advantage that the median has over the mean when looking at skewed data? ANS: The median is a better measure of central tendency because, unlike the mean, outliers don’t affect the median. DIF: Difficult REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 9. MSC: Understanding What would the correlation coefficient be if two variables are not at all correlated? ANS: The correlation coefficient would be 0 if there is no correlation. DIF: Difficult REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 10. MSC: Understanding What is one potential ethical dilemma of sociological research, and how might it have a negative effect on the subjects involved? ANS: Answers may vary but include: Researchers conducting research in areas with high crime rates could risk getting their subjects arrested. DIF: Easy REF: 2.4 Unanswered Questions OBJ: Understand how research methods generate controversies and ethical dilemmas for sociologists. MSC: Understanding ESSAY 1. What are the characteristics of good puzzle-solving questions? ANS: Answers may vary but include: They address gaps in our understanding and seek explanations for human behavior/events. DIF: Easy REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Remembering 2. List the seven steps in the scientific research process and discuss what happens in each step. ANS: Answers may vary but include: Defining research problem, reviewing evidence, developing hypotheses, designing the research, carrying out research, performing data analysis, and reporting results. DIF: Moderate REF: 2.1 Basic Concepts OBJ: Learn the steps of the research process and be able to complete the process yourself. MSC: Understanding 3. Compare Robert Park’s vision of sociology with William Ogburn’s. ANS: Answers may vary but include: Park emphasized fieldwork, participant observation, and focus on immigration and city life. Ogburn emphasized quantitative research on any topic, scientific method, and statistical analysis. DIF: Moderate REF: Historical Context 2.2 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions: OBJ: Contrast Park’s and Ogburn’s visions of sociology as a science. Understand their influence on contemporary sociological research. 4. MSC: Analyzing A sociologist wishes to gain insight into street vendor activities in a major American city. What research method would probably be best to use in such a study? Why? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this method in regard to this topic? ANS: Answers may vary but include: Ethnography. Strengths: insider perspective, in-depth observations. Weaknesses: findings not generalizable, researcher effects on observed. DIF: Difficult REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 5. MSC: Evaluating You receive a major research grant for $100,000 to study prescription stimulant (e.g., Adderall) misuse and its effect on student grades on college campuses across the United States. Which of the major research methods discussed in the text (survey, experiment, field research, comparative-historical) is most appropriate, in your opinion, and why? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this method in regard to this topic? ANS: Answers may vary but include: Survey. Strengths: large, nationally representative sample possible; relatively quick and inexpensive. Weaknesses: difficult to infer causality if crosssectional; superficial information; difficult to control for outside influences. DIF: Difficult REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 6. MSC: Evaluating Compare and contrast two of the major research methods discussed in the text (survey, experiment, field research, comparative-historical). What are the advantages and disadvantages of each method? Write a research question on the topic of divorce using each of the three methods. ANS: Answers may vary. DIF: Difficult REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. 7. MSC: Evaluating Discuss the difference between the median and the mean. Which measure might you use if you were reporting on wealth of American families? Explain. ANS: Answers may vary but include: The median is the midpoint in a range of values; the mean is the average. Wealth is highly skewed, with most families having little (or negative) wealth, while some families are extremely wealthy. Therefore, median is preferred as a measure of the typical wealth. DIF: Moderate REF: 2.3 Asking and Answering Sociological Questions Today: Research Methods OBJ: Familiarize yourself with the methods available to sociological researchers and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each. MSC: Analyzing 8. What issues may arise when following the scientific research process to study human behavior? ANS: Answers may vary but include: Ethical considerations, exploitation, impact of context, impact of researcher on observations, issues related to human subjects, and causal complexity. DIF: Easy REF: 2.4 Unanswered Questions OBJ: Understand how research methods generate controversies and ethical dilemmas for sociologists. 9. MSC: Analyzing Can social scientists ever prove the cause(s) of human behavior? Why or why not? Discuss the nature of causation in social science, including special considerations in studying human subjects. ANS: Answers may vary but include: No, due to the complexity of human behavior; multiple causation; ethical considerations; and the impacts of social context, biology, and researchers. There should be some note about the ability of experiments to establish causality with certain variables. DIF: Moderate REF: 2.4 Unanswered Questions OBJ: Understand how research methods generate controversies and ethical dilemmas for sociologists. 10. MSC: Evaluating Is sociology a science? Explain. How is it similar to and different from the natural sciences? ANS: Answers may vary but include: Similarities: scientific method, empirical observations, and goals of objectivity. Differences: ethical considerations, exploitation, impact of context, impact of researcher on observations, and issues related to human subjects. DIF: Difficult REF: 2.4 Unanswered Questions OBJ: Understand how research methods generate controversies and ethical dilemmas for sociologists. MSC: Analyzing