Question 1

Ethics is an important issue in any type of social research. Discuss four ethical issues that surface when conducting historical-comparative research.

Accepted Answer

1. Informed consent: When conducting historical-comparative research, it can be challenging to obtain informed consent from individuals who are no longer alive. Researchers must consider the ethical implications of using historical data and ensure that they are not exploiting or misrepresenting the individuals or groups being studied.

2. Privacy and confidentiality: Historical-comparative research often involves analyzing sensitive or personal information about individuals or groups. Researchers must take precautions to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the subjects being studied, especially when dealing with historical data that may still be relevant to living individuals or communities.

3. Cultural sensitivity: Historical-comparative research may involve studying different cultures and societies, and researchers must be mindful of the potential for cultural insensitivity or misrepresentation. It is important to approach the research with respect for the cultural context and to avoid perpetuating stereotypes or biases.

4. Power dynamics and representation: Historical-comparative research may involve studying marginalized or oppressed groups, and researchers must be aware of the power dynamics at play. It is important to ensure that the research accurately represents the perspectives and experiences of these groups and does not further marginalize or exploit them.

Overall, ethical considerations in historical-comparative research require careful attention to issues of consent, privacy, cultural sensitivity, and power dynamics in order to conduct responsible and respectful research.

Question 2

The pure historian and the historical-comparative sociologist differ. The sociologist is more likely to

Accepted Answer

A)  use primary data to study details of a very specific place and time. 
B)  use secondary evidence much more than primary or other evidence. 
C)  make some empirical generalizations and use limited theory. 
D)  use a pure ideographic approach. 
A)  use primary data to study details of a very specific place and time. 
B)  use secondary evidence much more than primary or other evidence. 
C)  make some empirical generalizations and use limited theory. 
D)  use a pure ideographic approach. C

Question 3

Professor Trainor examined the way in which divorce takes place in Uganda and Pakistan. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  cross-national research. 
B)  cultural-context research. 
C)  case-study comparative research. 
D)  transnational research. 
A)  cross-national research. 
B)  cultural-context research. 
C)  case-study comparative research. 
D)  transnational research. C

Question 4

In 1957, President Gorz posed for an official photograph in front of the presidential palace, which was the only photograph ever taken of him. Before the picture was taken, he had the barbed wire on the roof of the palace removed. He also took off the gun he always wore. He wanted to hide the militaristic and brutal nature of his rule. This illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  Galton's problem. 
B)  Western cultural bias. 
C)  courtesy bias. 
D)  bowdlerization. 
A)  Galton's problem. 
B)  Western cultural bias. 
C)  courtesy bias. 
D)  bowdlerization.

Question 5

Where would a researcher look to find information that represents a compilation of ethnographic studies conducted by anthropologists on many different cultures?

Accepted Answer

A)  Human Relations Area Files 
B)  The National Geographic Atlas 
C)  Demographic Yearbook 
D)  Statistical Abstract of the U.S. 
A)  Human Relations Area Files 
B)  The National Geographic Atlas 
C)  Demographic Yearbook 
D)  Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

Question 6

Just as there are problems when using primary sources, secondary sources are not immune from criticism. What are the limitations of using secondary historical sources?

Accepted Answer

Secondary historical sources, such as te

Question 7

Professor Janzen was studying the settlement and statehood of Nebraska. He mistakenly dated admission to statehood in 1876, when it was actually admitted to the Union in 1867. He was also mistaken that Nebraska was the 33rd state admitted into the Union, when in actuality it was the 37th state admitted into the Union. This illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  post facto explanation. 
B)  pseudo proof. 
C)  Baconian fallacy. 
D)  anachronism. 
A)  post facto explanation. 
B)  pseudo proof. 
C)  Baconian fallacy. 
D)  anachronism.

Question 8

Which of the following BEST defines Baconian fallacy?

Accepted Answer

A)  the fallacy of assuming that a researcher can investigate a culture with a blank slate, with no preconceived opinions 
B)  concepts one develops and uses within a specific cultural setting that are not generalizable to other cultural analysis 
C)  the fallacy of assuming that a researcher can trim the excess bacon) social interaction of a cultural setting to get to the real social structures that influence a society 
D)  the problem of mistaking attributes of a variable for variables themselves 
A)  the fallacy of assuming that a researcher can investigate a culture with a blank slate, with no preconceived opinions 
B)  concepts one develops and uses within a specific cultural setting that are not generalizable to other cultural analysis 
C)  the fallacy of assuming that a researcher can trim the excess bacon) social interaction of a cultural setting to get to the real social structures that influence a society 
D)  the problem of mistaking attributes of a variable for variables themselves

Question 9

Dr. Josh Lang attempted to interview people in Indonesia about mental illness in their family history. He had difficulty learning anything because mental illness is taboo in Indonesian culture. This illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  Galton's problem. 
B)  courtesy bias. 
C)  non-source based knowledge. 
D)  Western cultural bias. 
A)  Galton's problem. 
B)  courtesy bias. 
C)  non-source based knowledge. 
D)  Western cultural bias.

Question 10

Galton's Problem is

Accepted Answer

A)  when people try to make things appear better than they really are and give a false impression of events. 
B)  not being able to translate between two different languages. 
C)  a school of historiography. 
D)  a problem with units of analysis that may appear to be separate and distinct, but are actually closely related or the same. 
A)  when people try to make things appear better than they really are and give a false impression of events. 
B)  not being able to translate between two different languages. 
C)  a school of historiography. 
D)  a problem with units of analysis that may appear to be separate and distinct, but are actually closely related or the same.

Question 11

Which of the following best describes Safari research?

Accepted Answer

A)  when researchers attempt to take on the perspective of the culture they are investigating 
B)  when researchers study their own culture from the perspective of undomesticated animals of their community birds, squirrels, deer, etc.) 
C)  when researchers from one culture impose their perspective on the culture being studied. The culture under observation is viewed as an alien object to gaze at. 
D)  a clear unambiguous measure or indicator of a concept in a specific culture 
A)  when researchers attempt to take on the perspective of the culture they are investigating 
B)  when researchers study their own culture from the perspective of undomesticated animals of their community birds, squirrels, deer, etc.) 
C)  when researchers from one culture impose their perspective on the culture being studied. The culture under observation is viewed as an alien object to gaze at. 
D)  a clear unambiguous measure or indicator of a concept in a specific culture

Question 12

Which of the following is a characteristic of a distinct historical-comparative research method?

Accepted Answer

A)  It uses a deductive approach. 
B)  It sees causality as contingent and uses combinational explanation. 
C)  It focuses on the macro-level only and excludes the micro-level. 
D)  It tests hypotheses about precisely operationalized variables. 
A)  It uses a deductive approach. 
B)  It sees causality as contingent and uses combinational explanation. 
C)  It focuses on the macro-level only and excludes the micro-level. 
D)  It tests hypotheses about precisely operationalized variables.

Question 13

Equivalence is a critical issue in all social research. What is equivalence and why is it an important issue in social research? List and describe the four types of equivalence discussed in the text.

Accepted Answer

Equivalence in social research refers to

Question 14

One criticism of historical-comparative research is that most H-C research is conducted by people in a handful of advanced industrialized nations that have similar knowledge and cultural systems. This is called

Accepted Answer

A)  back translation. 
B)  bracketing. 
C)  anachronism. 
D)  Western cultural bias. 
A)  back translation. 
B)  bracketing. 
C)  anachronism. 
D)  Western cultural bias.

Question 15

Professor Jones gathers existing statistical information from various United Nations Publications and other sources on 120 nations. She then analyzes the information to see whether nations with certain forms of government e.g., democratic versus dictatorship) and economies e.g., industrial versus agricultural) have particular social programs e.g., public health programs). This is which type of comparative research?

Accepted Answer

A)  cross-national research 
B)  cultural context research 
C)  transnational research 
D)  case study 
A)  cross-national research 
B)  cultural context research 
C)  transnational research 
D)  case study

Question 16

An example of primary historical evidence on the 1920s U.S. Prohibition era is

Accepted Answer

A)  a documentary on the social construction of the bicycle. 
B)  a local police department report found in the back of an old filing cabinet detailing police raids on "speakeasies" conducted in 1922. 
C)  a magazine article in last month's Newsweek magazine comparing recent attempts to change drinking laws with Prohibition. 
D)  an article written in 1962 titled "The Prohibition Years." 
A)  a documentary on the social construction of the bicycle. 
B)  a local police department report found in the back of an old filing cabinet detailing police raids on "speakeasies" conducted in 1922. 
C)  a magazine article in last month's Newsweek magazine comparing recent attempts to change drinking laws with Prohibition. 
D)  an article written in 1962 titled "The Prohibition Years."

Question 17

The idea that the same sociological variable or concept occurs across divergent cultural and historical settings is called

Accepted Answer

A)  etic. 
B)  contextual equivalence. 
C)  conceptual equivalence. 
D)  lexicon equivalence. 
A)  etic. 
B)  contextual equivalence. 
C)  conceptual equivalence. 
D)  lexicon equivalence.

Question 18

An example of primary historical evidence on the 1930s Depression decade is

Accepted Answer

A)  an article in last month's Time magazine on the Depression diet 
B)  a book written in 1953 titled The Depression Years in America 
C)  a film starring Katherine Hepburn made in 1936 
D)  a letter written by my mother and sent to me two years ago telling me what she experienced growing up in the Depression period 
A)  an article in last month's Time magazine on the Depression diet 
B)  a book written in 1953 titled The Depression Years in America 
C)  a film starring Katherine Hepburn made in 1936 
D)  a letter written by my mother and sent to me two years ago telling me what she experienced growing up in the Depression period

Question 19

Discuss the similarities and differences between case-study comparative, cultural-context, cross-national research and transnational research.

Accepted Answer

Case-study comparative research, cultura

Question 20

Some researchers will use surveys as a method of choice when comparing different modern cultures. Are surveys a legitimate research method when comparing different cultures? Discuss some of the concerns a researcher must be aware of when using surveys to compare cultures.

Accepted Answer

Surveys can be a legitimate research met

Ethics is an important issue in any type of social research. Discuss four ethical issues that surface when conducting historical-comparative research.

The pure historian and the historical-comparative sociologist differ. The sociologist is more likely to

Professor Trainor examined the way in which divorce takes place in Uganda and Pakistan. This is an example of

Where would a researcher look to find information that represents a compilation of ethnographic studies conducted by anthropologists on many different cultures?

Just as there are problems when using primary sources, secondary sources are not immune from criticism. What are the limitations of using secondary historical sources?

Which of the following BEST defines Baconian fallacy?

Dr. Josh Lang attempted to interview people in Indonesia about mental illness in their family history. He had difficulty learning anything because mental illness is taboo in Indonesian culture. This illustrates

Galton's Problem is

Which of the following best describes Safari research?

Which of the following is a characteristic of a distinct historical-comparative research method?

Equivalence is a critical issue in all social research. What is equivalence and why is it an important issue in social research? List and describe the four types of equivalence discussed in the text.

One criticism of historical-comparative research is that most H-C research is conducted by people in a handful of advanced industrialized nations that have similar knowledge and cultural systems. This is called

An example of primary historical evidence on the 1920s U.S. Prohibition era is

The idea that the same sociological variable or concept occurs across divergent cultural and historical settings is called

An example of primary historical evidence on the 1930s Depression decade is

Discuss the similarities and differences between case-study comparative, cultural-context, cross-national research and transnational research.

Some researchers will use surveys as a method of choice when comparing different modern cultures. Are surveys a legitimate research method when comparing different cultures? Discuss some of the concerns a researcher must be aware of when using surveys to compare cultures.

Why Do Research

What Are the Major Types of Social Research

Theory and Research

The Meanings of Methodology

How to Review the Literature and Conduct Ethical Studies

Strategies of Research Design

Qualitative and Quantitative Measurement

Qualitative and Quantitative Sampling

Experimental Research

Survey Research

Nonreactive Research and Secondary Analysis

Analysis of Quantitative Data

Field Research and Focus Group Research

Analysis of Qualitative Data

Writing the Research Report and the Politics of Social Research

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Exam 14: Historical-Comparative Research

Ethics is an important issue in any type of social research. Discuss four ethical issues that surface when conducting historical-comparative research.

The pure historian and the historical-comparative sociologist differ. The sociologist is more likely to

Professor Trainor examined the way in which divorce takes place in Uganda and Pakistan. This is an example of

Where would a researcher look to find information that represents a compilation of ethnographic studies conducted by anthropologists on many different cultures?

Just as there are problems when using primary sources, secondary sources are not immune from criticism. What are the limitations of using secondary historical sources?

Which of the following BEST defines Baconian fallacy?

Dr. Josh Lang attempted to interview people in Indonesia about mental illness in their family history. He had difficulty learning anything because mental illness is taboo in Indonesian culture. This illustrates

Galton's Problem is

Which of the following best describes Safari research?

Which of the following is a characteristic of a distinct historical-comparative research method?

Equivalence is a critical issue in all social research. What is equivalence and why is it an important issue in social research? List and describe the four types of equivalence discussed in the text.

One criticism of historical-comparative research is that most H-C research is conducted by people in a handful of advanced industrialized nations that have similar knowledge and cultural systems. This is called

An example of primary historical evidence on the 1920s U.S. Prohibition era is

The idea that the same sociological variable or concept occurs across divergent cultural and historical settings is called

An example of primary historical evidence on the 1930s Depression decade is

Discuss the similarities and differences between case-study comparative, cultural-context, cross-national research and transnational research.

Some researchers will use surveys as a method of choice when comparing different modern cultures. Are surveys a legitimate research method when comparing different cultures? Discuss some of the concerns a researcher must be aware of when using surveys to compare cultures.

Why Do Research

What Are the Major Types of Social Research

Theory and Research

The Meanings of Methodology

How to Review the Literature and Conduct Ethical Studies

Strategies of Research Design

Qualitative and Quantitative Measurement

Qualitative and Quantitative Sampling

Experimental Research

Survey Research

Nonreactive Research and Secondary Analysis

Analysis of Quantitative Data

Field Research and Focus Group Research

Analysis of Qualitative Data

Writing the Research Report and the Politics of Social Research

Filters