Chapter 7—Descriptive and Correlational Research Strategies

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. A researcher watches children on a playground to obtain measurements of their level of activity.

The researcher hopes to prepare a report describing the children's behavior. This researcher is
using the
a. descriptive research strategy
b. correlational research strategy
c. experimental research strategy
d. scientific research strategy
ANS: REF: p. 162

2. A researcher determines the amount of sugar in each child’s diet by interviewing the children’s
parents. Then the researcher watches the children on a playground to obtain measurements of
their level of activity. The researcher hopes to demonstrate that sugar intake is related to activity
level. This researcher is using the
a. descriptive research strategy
b. correlational research strategy
c. experimental research strategy
d. scientific research strategy
ANS: REF: p. 162

3. The goal of the descriptive research strategy is

a. to describe an individual person or patient in great detail
b. to describe a variable (or variables) as they exist naturally
c. to describe the relationship between two variables
d. to establish the existence of a cause and effect relationship between variables
ANS: REF: p. 162

4. Although behavioral observation can be used with a variety of different research strategies, the
defining characteristic of the observational research design is
a. the research is conduced in field settings rather than in a laboratory
b. the intent is simply to describe behaviors
c. the intent is to demonstrate a relationship between behavior and other variables
d. the intent is to explain the causes of the behaviors being observed
ANS: REF: p. 163

5. Jane Goodall’s research, examining the behavior of chimps in Africa, is an example of

a. participant observation
b. naturalistic observation
c. correlational research
d. case study research
ANS: REF: p. 164

6. A researcher watches children on a playground to obtain measurements of their level of

aggression. This researcher is using
a. naturalistic observation
b. participant observation
 c. contrived observation
d. unstructured observation
ANS: REF: p. 164

7. A researcher joins a religious cult in order to observe their behaviors. This researcher is using
a. naturalistic observation
b. participant observation
c. contrived observation
d. unstructured observation
ANS: REF: p. 165

8. Rosenham’s research investigating the experiences of mental patients and patient-staff

interactions in psychiatric hospitals is an example of
a. participant observation
b. naturalistic observation
c. correlational research
d. case study research
ANS: REF: p. 165

9. The main advantage of contrived observation (compared with other types of observational
research) is
a. you can be more confident that the observed behaviors are natural
b. there is less concern that the researcher is influencing the behaviors being observed
c. it is more efficient because you do not have to wait for specific behaviors to occur
d. it is less likely that the researcher will impose subjective interpretations on the data
ANS: REF: p. 165

10. Which observational research design has the greatest risk that the observer will influence the
behaviors being observed
a. naturalistic observation
b. participant observation
c. contrived observation
d. non-participant observation
ANS: REF: p. 165

11. A limitation of participant observation is

a. it is extremely time consuming
b. there is a risk that the observer will influence the behaviors being observed
c. there is a risk that the observer may become involved and lose objectivity
d. the other three choices are all limitations
ANS: REF: p. 165

12. In general, observational research designs tend to have

a. high internal validity and low external validity
b. high internal validity and high external validity
c. low internal validity and high external validity
d. low internal validity and low external validity
ANS: REF: p. 167
13. Although surveys can be used with a variety of different research strategies, the defining
characteristic of the survey research design is
a. the research is conduced in field settings rather than in a laboratory
b. the intent is simply to describe behaviors
c. the intent is to demonstrate a relationship between behavior and other variables
d. the intent is to explain the causes of the behaviors being surveyed
ANS: REF: p. 168

14. One problem with surveys administered by mail is

a. you do not know exactly who completed the survey
b. it is difficulty to maintain participant confidentiality
c. a mailed survey can be inconvenient for participants
d. a mailed survey can be threatening to participants
ANS: REF: p. 170

15. One problem with mail surveys is non-response bias. This means
a. usually only a small percentage of the surveys are returned
b. many questionnaires will be returned with missing answers
c. individuals who return surveys may have different characteristics than those who don't
return surveys
d. attempts to increase the number of people who return the survey may produce a biased
sample
ANS: REF: p. 171

16. Non-response bias is a problem associated primarily with surveys administered

a. by mail
b. by telephone
c. in person to groups
d. in person to individuals
ANS: REF: p. 171

17. omit

18. Which of the following methods for administering a survey does not include the risk of
interviewer bias?
a. mail
b. phone
c. in person individual
d. in person group
ANS: REF: p. 174

19 and 20 - omit

21. The multiple-personality study reported in Thigpen and Cleckley’s Three Faces of Eve is an
example of
a. participant observation
b. naturalistic observation
c. correlational research
d. case study research
ANS: REF: p. 176
22. An advantage of the case study design (compared with group designs) is
a. it can be used to study rare phenomena
b. it can demonstrate a counterexample to a general principle
c. it can be emotionally powerful and convincing
d. the other three choices are all advantages of the case study design
ANS: REF: p. 176-178

23. In general, the case study design tends to have

a. high internal validity and low external validity
b. high internal validity and high external validity
c. low internal validity and high external validity
d. low internal validity and low external validity
ANS: REF: p. 178

24. The goal of correlational research is

a. to describe an individual person or patient in great detail
b. to describe a variable (or variables) as they exist naturally
c. to describe the relationship between two variables
d. to establish the existence of a cause and effect relationship between variables
ANS: REF: p. 179

25. omit

26. Which research design is commonly used to help establish the reliability or validity of a
measurement procedure?
a. the observational research design
b. the survey research design
c. the case study design
d. the correlational design
ANS: REF: p. 181

27. omit

28. A researcher reports a inverse relationship between weight and exercise level for a group of 8-
year-old children (greater weight is associated with less exercise). However, the researcher
suspects that the children’s rate of metabolism may be responsible for the relationship. That is,
children with higher metabolism exercise more and weigh less than children with lower
metabolism. This is an example of
a. the third-variable problem
b. the directionality problem
c. the reversal problem
d. the criterion problem
ANS: REF: p. 183

29. In general, the correlational research strategy tends to have

a. high internal validity and low external validity
b. high internal validity and high external validity
c. low internal validity and high external validity
d. low internal validity and low external validity
 ANS: REF: p. 183

30. A researcher reports a inverse relationship between weight and exercise level for a group of 8-
year-old children (greater weight is associated with less exercise). However, the researcher
cannot be sure whether the extra weight is preventing the children from exercising or whether the
lack of exercise is leading to greater weight. This is an example of
a. the third-variable problem
b. the directionality problem
c. the reversal problem
d. the criterion problem
ANS: REF: p. 184

TRUE/FALSE omit all

ESSAY

1. Explain the distinction between a researcher who observes two variables using the descriptive
research strategy and a researcher who observes two variables using the correlational research
strategy?

ANS:
A researcher using the descriptive research strategy is seeking to describe the two variables
separately. A researcher using the correlational strategy is seeking to describe the relationship
between the two variables.

REF: p. 162

2. Behavioral observation is used in many different types of research. What is the specific
characteristic that differentiates the observational research design from other research using
behavioral observation?

ANS:
In the observational research design, behavioral observations are being used solely to describe the
variables being observed. In other types of research, observations can be used to describe
relationships between variables or to establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables.

REF: p. 163

3. Describe the third-variable problem and the directionality problem in correlational research.
Explain how these problems make it impossible to obtain an unambiguous cause-and-effect
conclusion from a correlational study.

ANS:
The third-variable problem means that there may be an outside variable that is influencing both of
the variables being observed, with the result that the two observed variables appear to be related.
In this case, the two variables will change together consistently but there is no cause-and-effect
relationship between them. The directionality problem means that two variables are related but it
is not clear which of the two variables is causing changes in the other. If you are not certain
which variable is the cause and which is the effect, you do not have an unambiguous cause-and-
effect relationship.

REF: p. 183-184