Untitled Flashcards Set

Chapter 1

·      Everyday errors in reasoning

§  Overgeneralization is reduced when we base our conclusions on multiple observations “those people are never satisfied

§  Selective observations is reduced by setting aside preconceived opinions and using the scientific methods when making observations “those people are never satisfied”

§  Illogical reasoning: conclusion s based on invalid assumptions

§  Resisting Change” failure of new information to change perceptions

§  Resistance to change is reduced when we avoid: ego based commitments, excessive devotion to tradition. Uncritical agreement with authority

·       Motivations to conduct research

§  Policy motivations

·      Assess programs and policies to determine their success and develop ways to improve outcomes ad better address problems

§  Academic Motivations

·      Learn more about complex social phenomena to better understand crime and society

§  Personal Motivations

·      Improve society or solve a problem of person interest

·      Types of research (i.e., exploratory, descriptive, evaluation, and explanatory)

§  Descriptive Research

·      Research that attempts to define, describe, or observed social phenomena

·      Who, What, When, Where, How many?

§  Exploratory Research

·      Looks for: what is going on here, helps develop an explanation for events/ phenomena

·      Often relies on qualitive methods because it capture a vast amount of information

§  Evaluation Research

·      Seeks to determine the effects of social program or other types of intervention

·      Implementations and outcomes of social policies and programs

§  Explanatory Research

·      Finds the cause and effect behind social phenomena

·      Attempts to predict how one phenomena will change or vary in response to variation in another phenomenon

·       If I give you examples of different kinds of research, I want you to be able to identify the research type.

·      Know the difference between qualitative and
quantitative research.

o   Quantitative: using numbers to describe social phenomena

o   Qualitative : Written or spoken words with no direct numerical interpretations

Chapter 2

·       The criteria for a good research question.

o   Feasibility

o   Social importance

o   Scientific Relevance

·        What is a theory? What is a hypothesis?

o   Theory

§  Logically interrelated set of propositions about empirical reality

§  Theoretical constructs: Part of a theory that describes what is important to look at (nuts and bolts of the theory)

o   Hypothesis

§  Implies that a change in one variable is related to a change in other variable

·        Know the difference between inductive and deductive research strategies.

o   Deductive Reasoning: begins with a general idea (theory) and move towards specific reality (data)

o   Inductive reasoning: begins with specific reality and moves toward a general idea

·       Know the difference between an independent and dependent variable

o    

Chapter 3

·       The Stanford Prison Study

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·      The purpose of the internal review board (IRB)

o    

·       Belmont Report Principles

·      How researchers achieve valid results

·       Be familiar with those groups most protected
during research studies (i.e., prisoners and
children)

Chapter 4

•       Know the difference between the process of conceptualization and operationalization

•      Be familiar with open- and close-ended survey questions.

•       What is triangulation?

•      Know what researchers mean by level of measurement and the different levels

•       Remember that you cannot rank order nominal level measures (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender).

•       Know the different forms of validity and reliability
listed in the PowerPoint