Topic 4 Research Methods in Sociology

What is the main purpose of using laboratory experiments in research?

• To study large scale patterns in society

• To identify cause and effect relationships

• To gather qualitative data

• To observe natural behaviour in natural settings

In a laboratory experiment, which group is treated differently to observe the effects of the independent variable?

• Control group

• Experimental group

• Survey group

• Sample group

Which of the following is a practical problem associated with laboratory experiments?

• They are highly reliable

• They can be used to study the past

• They often use small scale samples

• They produce qualitative data

What is the Hawthorne effect?

• The effect of natural surroundings on behaviour

• The change in behaviour due to being observed

• The impact of free will on experimental results

• The influence of past events on current behaviour

Which research method is favoured by positivists for producing quantitative statistical data?

• Laboratory experiments

• Field experiments

• Survey method

• Comparative method

What is a key feature of a field experiment that distinguishes it from a laboratory experiment?

• It is conducted in a controlled environment

• Participants are aware they are being studied

• It takes place in the subjects' natural surroundings

• It always uses a large sample size

Which sampling method involves selecting participants based on specific characteristics to ensure representation?

• Random sampling

• Systematic sampling

• Stratified random sampling

• Snowball sampling

What is a major ethical problem associated with laboratory experiments?

• Lack of reliability

• Lack of informed consent

• Difficulty in controlling variables

• Inability to study the past

Which method involves comparing two groups that are alike in all major respects except for one variable?

• Laboratory experiment

• Field experiment

• Comparative method

• Survey method

What is the main argument of interpretivists against using experiments to study human behaviour?

• Experiments are too expensive

• People have free will and cannot be accurately studied through experiments

• Experiments produce too much qualitative data

• Experiments are not reliable