Exam 2: Understanding Families Through Research and Theory

What kind of a response rate is desirable in order for a survey to be considered successful?

In general, the term "ethics" refers to what?

A social scientist should collect, process, and analyze the data prior to the planning of the total research design.

Describe the "survey" research method.

Please explain why "reality" television may not be a good model of observation research. Why is it not a good method for social science research?

Today, no single portrait portrays the essence of "manhood" or "fatherhood," because men and their roles in society and the family are multifaceted, complex, and ever-changing.

A(n) ________ is a speculative statement about a variable or the relationship between variables in a study. In a sense, these are predictions about the variables that will be measured in the study.

Novice readers of research literature mistakenly assume the discussion section portrays a precise interpretation of the results section.

According to Talcott Parsons, in order for functions to contribute to the overall good of the society, they must adhere to ________, or patterns of role arrangement.

In order to fully interpret the meaning of statistical data, it is not necessary for consumers of the literature to understand the composition of the study participants.

The term "validity" speaks to what?

According to the conflict perspective, _________ is a defining trait built in to any society or culture. Dominant and subordinate groups and classes within a society are always in competition for the society's limited resources and for whatever the society deems important.

The ________ methodology involves study of either a single person or a small group of people.

Social science research is the scholarly discipline used to examine human society and relationships.

Much like building a house, a solid investigative design plan moves researchers systematically through each step as they look for answers to their initial questions. What are the general steps of the research process?

In short, this theory maintains that people weigh costs and rewards before they act on a decision-we engage in behavior in which our rewards are maximized and our costs are minimized.

The entire group of people who share a common experience or characteristic under academic examination is called a(n) ________.

While women's studies courses and degree programs have been offered at American universities and colleges for the past 30 years, the same is not true of men's studies.

This theory is concerned with the many social and cultural contexts that impact and influence family living. These contexts include those that exert immediate influences on the family, such as schools, churches or temples, and neighborhoods.

The term ________ means to study thoroughly through the process of scholarly or scientific inquiry.