Non-Experimental Designs I: Survey Methods

Question 1

_________ sampling is most likely to be used in survey research

Answer 1

probability

Question 2

What is self-selection bias and where does it usually occur?

Answer 2

When the sample is composed only of those who voluntarily choose to response, thus the results are a bias sample.
Usually occurs in newspapers and magazines

Question 3

A good use of open-ended questions in a survey is in a ________ study as a way of identifying alternatives for a subsequent survey to be composed of closed items.

Answer 3

pilot

Question 4

Surveys with closed questions often use an interval scale for measuring responses. The most common interval scale used in surveys is…

Answer 4

the Likert scale

Question 5

Response acquiescence

Answer 5

a tendency to agree with statements

Question 6

How do surveys with a Likert scale avoid response acquiescence?

Answer 6

They will balance favourable and unfavourable statements, forcing respondents to read each item carefully.

Question 7

Including too much in an item resulting in one that actually asks two responses at once is sometimes referred to as a _________-________ question

Answer 7

double-barreled

Question 8

Advantages and disadvantages of in-person interviews

Answer 8

Advantages: comprehensive, highly detailed, reduction of unclear questions

Disadvantages: interview bias, cost, sampling issues (some people may not be included)

Question 9

What is nonresponse bias and when can it occur?

Answer 9

Occurs when the people who do complete and return the survey differ in some important ways from those who did not return the survey

Can occur with mailed written surveys

Question 10

Social desirability bias

Answer 10

When people respond to a survey question in a way that doesn’t reflect what they truly feel but how they think they should respond

Question 11

How can researchers avoid social desirability bias?

Answer 11

By ensuring anonymity

Question 12

______ surveys combine the efficiency of a mailed survey with the personal contact of an interview.

Answer 12

Phone

Question 13

What is the main advantage of online surveys?

Answer 13

A large amount of data can be collected in a short amount of time and with minimal cost

Question 14

A correlation exists when…

Answer 14

two variables are associated or related

Question 15

Positive correlation

Answer 15

A high score on one variable is associated with a high score on the second variable; similarly a low score on one variable is associated with a low score on the second variable

Question 16

Negative correlation

Answer 16

An inverse relationship. A high score on one variable is associated with a low score on the second variable and vice versa.

Question 17

An indication of the strength of a relationship between two variables can be discerned by examining a ____________

Answer 17

scatterplot

Question 18

The strength and direction of a correlation is indicated by the size of a statistic called the _________ __________

Answer 18

correlation coefficient

Question 19

What is the most common correlation coefficient?

Answer 19

Pearson’s R

Question 20

The correlation coefficient itself ranges from _____ for a perfect negative correlation, through ____ for no relationship, to ____ for a perfect positive correlation

Answer 20

-1.00; 0.00; +1.00

Question 21

Psychologists often use Cohen’s conventions of ___ for a small effect size, ___ for a medium effect size, and ____ for a large effect size

Answer 21

.10; .30; .50

Question 22

Coefficient of determination is also known as…

Answer 22

R squared

Question 23

R squared is defined as…

Answer 23

the percent of variance in one variable that is explained by the other variable

Question 24

Making predictions on the basis of correlations is referred to as doing a _________ analysis

Answer 24

regression

Question 25

The regression line is also known as…

Answer 25

the line of best fit

Question 26

A bivariate approach to data analysis investigates the relationship…

Answer 26

between any two variables

Question 27

A multivariate approach examines the relationship…

Answer 27

among more than two variables

Question 28

With non‐experimental research using correlations, the “all else held constant” feature is missing and this lack of control makes it impossible to conclude anything about…

Answer 28

cause and effect

Question 29

Two specific ways in which interpretation problems can occur with correlations:

Answer 29

1. Directionality problem

2. Third variable problem

Question 30

Directionality problem

Answer 30

When a causal relation could occur in either direction (i.e., A causes B, or B causes A)

Question 31

Third variable problem

Answer 31

When uncontrolled factors (third variables) influence a correlation

Question 32

Two types of third variables:

Answer 32

1. Mediating variable - explains how or why a relationship exists between two variables
2. Moderating variable - explains the conditions under which a correlation can exist between two variables