9 Questions
What is the main difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
Qualitative research aims for a nomothetic understanding, while quantitative research aims for an idiographic understanding.
What are the main criteria for causality?
Plausibility, temporality, and spuriousness.
What is the difference between independent and dependent variables?
Independent variables cause another variable, while dependent variables are caused by another variable
What is the ecological fallacy?
When claims about individuals are made based on group-level data
What is a hypothesis?
A statement describing a researcher's expectation regarding what he or she anticipates finding.
What is the difference between units of analysis and units of observation?
Units of analysis refer to what researchers want to say something about, while units of observation refer to what they actually observe
What is reductionism?
When claims about groups are made based on individual-level data
What is the difference between causal and non-causal hypotheses?
Causal hypotheses describe a specific direction of a relationship, while non-causal hypotheses do not.
What is the purpose of theories in research?
Theories serve as a framework for research and help to guide the development of hypotheses.
Study Notes
- Understanding the differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods is important in designing research projects.
- Causality refers to the idea that one event, behavior, or belief will result in the occurrence of another, subsequent event, behavior, or belief.
- Qualitative research aims to acquire an idiographic understanding of the phenomenon being investigated, while quantitative research aims for a nomothetic understanding.
- The main criteria for causality are plausibility, temporality, and spuriousness.
- Plausibility means that the claim has to make sense.
- Temporality means that the cause must precede the effect in time.
- Spuriousness is a relationship in which an association between two variables appears to be causal but can in fact be explained by some third variable.
- Independent variables cause another variable, while dependent variables are caused by another variable.
- Relationship strength refers to statistical significance.
- Qualitative research focuses on understanding the multitude of reasons that account for a behavior, while quantitative research identifies the most likely and more general factors that account for a behavior.
- Causal relationships require more than chance selection of participants.
- Qualitative research seeks to understand the circumstances under which causal relationships occur.
- Units of analysis and observation are important in research design.
- The unit of analysis is the entity the researcher wishes to say something about.
- The unit of observation is what is actually observed, measured, or collected.
- Different research questions yield different units of analysis.
- The unit of observation may be the same or different from the unit of analysis.
- Units of analysis can be individuals, groups, organizations, or social phenomena.
- Units of observation can be individuals or documents.
- Policies and principles can also be units of analysis, with documents as the unit of observation.
- Sociologists can examine various units of analysis including individuals, groups, organizations, social phenomena, policies, and principles.
- Table 5.1 provides examples of research questions, units of analysis, data collection methods, units of observation, and findings.
- The ecological fallacy occurs when claims about individuals are made based on group-level data, while reductionism occurs when claims about groups are made based on individual-level data.
- Researchers should be cautious but not abandon the social scientific quest to understand patterns of behavior.
- A hypothesis is a statement describing a researcher's expectation regarding what he or she anticipates finding.
- Hypotheses are typically drawn from theories and describe how an independent variable is expected to affect some dependent variable or variables.
- Deductive research involves hypothesizing about what the researcher expects to find based on the theory or theories that frame their study.
- Theories serve as a framework for research and help to guide the development of hypotheses.
- Researchers must understand the differences between independent and dependent variables and between units of observation and units of analysis to develop hypotheses.
- Hypotheses can be causal or non-causal.
- Qualitative research aims to understand specific instances, while quantitative research aims to understand general causes.
- Quantitative research can inform qualitative research about general causal relationships worth investigating.
- A relationship is considered causal if it is plausible and nonspurious, and the cause precedes the effect in time.
- Units of analysis refer to what researchers want to say something about, while units of observation refer to what they actually observe.
- Confusing units of analysis and observation can lead to the ecological fallacy or reductionism.
- Hypotheses are statements that describe a researcher's expectation about the relationship between variables.
- Feminist theories predict that more females than males will experience specific sexually harassing behaviors.
- Researchers may hypothesize a specific direction of a relationship, such as age being negatively related to support for marijuana legalization.
- Researchers do not say they have proven their hypotheses, but rather that they have been supported or not.
- Qualitative research can inform the development of hypotheses for quantitative research to test.
This quiz will test your knowledge of research methods, including the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, criteria for causality, units of analysis and observation, and the development of hypotheses. You will also learn about common pitfalls, such as the ecological fallacy and reductionism, and how feminist theories can inform research questions. Take this quiz to enhance your understanding of research methods and become a more informed researcher.
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