6 Surveys, Observations, And Sampling

Question 0

Census

Answer 0

A set of observations that contains all members of the population of interest.

Question 1

Acquiescence

Answer 1

Or yea-saying. Answering “yes” or “strongly agree” to every item in a questionnaire or interview.

Question 2

Cluster sampling

Answer 2

A sampling method in which researchers randomly select clusters of participants within the population of interest and then collect data from all of the participants in each selected cluster.

Question 3

Convenience sampling

Answer 3

Choosing a sample based on those who are easiest to access.

Question 4

Faking bad

Answer 4

A situation that occurs when survey respondents give answers that make them look worse than they really are.

Question 5

Fence sitting

Answer 5

A situation that occurs when respondents play it safe by answering in the middle of the scale for every question in a questionnaire or interview.

Question 6

Forced-choice format

Answer 6

A question type in which respondents give their opinions by picking the best of two or more opinions.

Question 7

Likert scale

Answer 7

A scale containing multiple response options that are anchored by the term strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. A scale that does not follow this format exactly may be called a Likert-type scale.

Question 8

Masked study

Answer 8

A study design in which the observers are unaware of the experimental conditions to which participants have been assigned.

Question 9

Multistage sampling

Answer 9

A method of sampling in which to random samples are taken from some population: a random sample of clusters and then a random sample of people within those clusters.

Question 10

Nay-saying

Answer 10

Answering “no “or “strongly disagree” to every item in a questionnaire or interview.

Question 11

Observational research

Answer 11

The process of watching people or animals and systematically recording what they are doing.

Question 12

Observer bias

Answer 12

A bias that occurs when observers’ expectations influence their interpretation of the subjects’ behaviors or the outcome of the study.

Question 13

Observer effects

Answer 13

Reactivity. A term referring to people or animals changing their behavior (reacting) because they know another person is watching.

Question 14

Open-ended question

Answer 14

A question that allows respondents to answer in any way they see fit.

Question 15

Oversampling

Answer 15

A variation of stratified random sampling in which the researcher intentionally over represents one or more groups.

Question 16

Population

Answer 16

Some larger group from which the sample is drawn, which the sample is intended to represent.

Question 17

Probability sampling

Answer 17

The process of drawing a sample from a population of interest in such a way to each member of the population has an equal probability of being included in the sample (e.g., randomly).

Question 18

Purposive sampling

Answer 18

The inclusion of only certain kinds of people in a sample.

Question 19

Random assignment

Answer 19

The use of a random method to assign participants into different experimental groups.

Question 20

Response set

Answer 20

A shortcut respondents may use to answer the items in a self-report measure with multiple items, rather than responding to the content of each item.

Question 21

Sample

Answer 21

The group of people, animals, or cases used in the study.

Question 22

Self-selection

Answer 22

A form of sampling bias that occurs when a sample contains only people who volunteer to participate.

Question 23

Semantic differential format

Answer 23

A self-report response scale whose numbers are anchored with contrasting adjectives (easy and hard).

Question 24

Simple random sampling

Answer 24

The most basic form of probability sampling, in which the sample is chosen completely at random from the population, perhaps by drawing names out of a hat.

Question 25

Snowball sampling

Answer 25

A variation on purposive sampling in which participants are asked to recommend acquaintances for the study.

Question 26

Socially desirable responding

Answer 26

Faking good. Giving answers to a self-report measure that make one look better than one really is.

Question 27

Stratified random sampling

Answer 27

A sampling method in which the researcher identifies particular demographic categories of interest and then randomly selects individuals within each of the categories.

Question 28

Systematic sampling

Answer 28

A method of random sampling in which the researcher counts off to achieve a sample (choosing every and nth person in a population, where n is a randomly chosen number).

Question 29

Unobtrusive observation

Answer 29

An observation made indirectly, through physical traces of behavior, or made by someone who is hidden or is posing as a bystander.