Measurement Quality: Analysis & Errors

Flashcards covering units of analysis, ecological fallacy, reductionism, units of observation, validity, reliability, precision, and accuracy from SOC 201.

What error occurs when a researcher generalizes conclusions from a higher unit of analysis to a lower unit of analysis?

Ecological fallacy

What is reductionism in social research?

Generalizing from a lower unit of analysis to a higher unit of analysis, mistakenly assuming that what is true for individuals is necessarily true for groups.

In Sampson et al.'s (1997) study of collective efficacy in Chicago neighborhoods, what were the unit of observation and the unit of analysis?

The unit of observation was individuals (who completed surveys on crime perceptions), and the unit of analysis was neighborhoods (the aggregate level used to explain variation).

What specific forms of measurement error correspond to invalid measures versus unreliable measures?

Invalid measures produce systematic error, whereas unreliable measures produce random error.

In terms of measurement quality, which combination of accuracy and precision is illustrated by this target diagram?

Precise, but not Accurate