2.31: SOC CH 2

A measurement is considered ______ if it actually measures what it is intended to measure, according to the topic of the study.

• reliable
• sociological
• valid
• quantitative

Sociological studies test relationships in which change in one ______ causes change in another.

• test subject
• behavior
• variable
• operational definition

In a study, a group of ten-year-old boys are fed doughnuts every morning for a week and then weighed to see how much weight they gained. Which factor is the dependent variable?

• The doughnuts
• The boys
• The duration of a week
• The weight gained

Which statement provides the best operational definition of “childhood obesity”?

• Children who eat unhealthy foods and spend too much time watching television and playing video games
• A distressing trend that can lead to health issues including type 2 diabetes and heart disease
• Body weight at least 20 percent higher than a healthy weight for a child of that height
• The tendency of children today to weigh more than children of earlier generations

Which materials are considered secondary data?

• Photos and letters given to you by another person
• Books and articles written by other authors about their studies
• Information that you have gathered and now have included in your results
• Responses from participants whom you both surveyed and interviewed

Why is choosing a random sample an effective way to select participants?

• • Participants do not know they are part of a study
  • The researcher has no control over who is in the study
  • It is larger than an ordinary sample
  • Everyone has the same chance of being part of the study

Which research approach is best suited to the scientific method?

• • Questionnaire
  • Case study
  • Ethnography
  • All of the above

The main difference between ethnography and other types of participant observation is:

• ethnography isn’t based on hypothesis testing
• ethnography subjects are unaware they’re being studied
• ethnographic studies always involve minority ethnic groups
• ethnography focuses on how subjects view themselves in relationship to the community

Which best describes the results of a case study?

• • It produces more reliable results than other methods because of its depth
  • Its results are not generally applicable
  • It relies solely on secondary data analysis
  • All of the above

Using secondary data is considered an unobtrusive or ________ research method.

• • nonreactive
  • nonparticipatory
  • nonrestrictive
  • nonconfrontive

To study the effects of fast food on lifestyle, health, and culture, from which group would a researcher ethically be unable to accept funding?

• • A fast-food restaurant
  • A nonprofit health organization
  • A private hospital
  • A governmental agency like Health and Social Services

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• Authored by: Open Stax. License: CC BY: Attribution