Chapter 6

Question 1

Survey/Poll

Answer 1

A method of posing questions to people on the telephone, in personal interviews, on written questionnaires, or via the Internet

Question 2

Open-Ended Questions

Answer 2

A survey question format that allows respondents to answer any way they like

Question 3

Forced-Choice Questions

Answer 3

A survey question format in which respondents give their opinion by picking the best of two or more options

Question 4

Likert Scale

Answer 4

A survey question format using a rating scale containing multiple response options anchored by the specific terms strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. A scale that does not follow this format exactly is called a Likert-type scale.

Question 5

Semantic Differential Format

Answer 5

A survey question format using a response scale whose numbers are anchored with contrasting adjectives

Question 6

Leading Questions

Answer 6

A type of question in a survey or poll that is problematic because its wording encourages one response more than others, thereby weakening its construct validity

Question 7

Double-Barreled Questions

Answer 7

A type of question in a survey or poll that is problematic because it asks two questions in one, thereby weakening its construct validity

Question 8

Negatively Worded Questions

Answer 8

A question in a survey or poll that contains negatively phrased statements, making its wording complicated or confusing and potentially weakening its construct validity

Question 9

Response Sets

Answer 9

A shortcut respondents may use to answer items in a long survey, rather than responding to the content of each item. Also called nondifferentiation.

Question 10

Acquiescence

Answer 10

Answering “yes” or “strongly agree” to every item in a survey or interview. Also called yea-saying.

Question 11

Fence Sitting

Answer 11

Playing it safe by answering in the middle of the scale for every question in a survey or interview

Question 12

Socially Desirable Responding/Faking Good

Answer 12

Giving answers on a survey (or other self-report measure) that make one look better than one really is

Question 13

Faking Bad

Answer 13

Giving answers on a survey (or other self-report measure) that make one look worse than one really is

Question 14

Observational Research

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Observer Bias

Answer 15

A bias that occurs when observer expectations influence the interpretation of participant behaviors or the outcome of the study

Question 16

Observer Effects

Answer 16

A change in behavior of study participants in the direction of observer expectations. Also called expectancy effects.

Question 17

Masked Design

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Reactivity

Answer 18

A change in behavior of study participants (such as acting less spontaneously) because they are aware they are being watched

Question 19

Unobtrusive Observation

Answer 19

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