Exam 3 Flashcards
Unobtrusive Research
Methods that gain information from studying social behavior without affecting it.
The unobtrusive approach often seeks unusual data sources, such as garbage, graffiti and obituaries, as well as more conventional ones such as published statistics.
Content analysis
the study of message, NOT how someone uses it
Samples are smaller than surveys
Process of judging sample size uses same logic as surveys
Example: (See phone pic)
NOT how advertising influences you (see phone pic for example)
NOT how news are read
Appeals
strategies used to try to convince you
What are the top 7 appeals used in advertising?
- Wealth/prestige/success
- Sex
- Humor
- Sports/adventure
- Holidays
- Tradition
- Taste/quality
Krippendorf’s Six Questions
These are questions that must be addressed in every content analysis:
- Which data is analyzed?
- How are they defined?
- What is the population from which they are drawn?
- What is the context relative to which the data are analyzed?
- What are the boundaries of the analysis?
- What is the target of the inferences?
Elaborate on the CDC example as discussed in class.
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Elaborate on the Rimm report example as discussed in class.
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What are McMillan’s five issues for coding web content?
- How to identify the units to be sampled?
- How to collect data for cross-coder tests when the Web changes rapidly?
- How to solve copyright issues if researchers download Web pages for analysis?
- How to standardize units of analysis given the multimedia features of the Web?
- How to check inter-coder reliability?
What are the pros and cons of content analysis?
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True or False?
Experiments are the best way to determine causation.
True
What are the functions of an experiment and what is a common real world example?
Experiments involve exposing one group to something, not exposing that same thing to a second congruent group, and analyzing the reaction of the exposure and comparing it to the group who did not receive it.
Ex: Randomized controlled trial of a drug; does drug “X” help alleviate depression?
The experimental method is best for what type of research?
The experimental method is best for research that:
- Has limited and well defined concepts
- Relies heavily on hypothesis testing
- Determines Causality
What are the independent and dependent variables in all experimental designs?
Independent variables are the parts of the experiment that can be controlled or changed.
Dependent variables within experiments are defined as “the effect” [what is the main measure of the study?]
How does the laboratory setting compare to the natural setting in experimental designs?
In Lab settings, you will always have a high rate of control. [ you can assess if you actually take the medicine or not] the only thing that varies is what action you take.[the control]
In Natural settings like field studies, you night not have as much control due to external factors such as emotions.
What are the pros and cons of experiments?
Pros
Isolation of experimental variable’s impact over time - best way to determine causality!
Replication
Cons
Not representative - experiments are generally not random
Artificiality of laboratory settings
What is random selection mean in an experimental design?
Random selection - Randomly select people who will be interviewed for a survey
Random assignment
Looking at group of people that were not randomly selected and then randomly assigning them to experimental groups
Giving everyone equal chance → Eliminates pre-existing systematic group differences; people don’t get to choose what group they will be in
“All other things being equal”
Groups are similar
Draw an example of a 2x2 factorial design
See ipad pic
Draw an example of a 2x3 factorial design
see ipad pic
Ellaborate on the classic bobo doll experiment. What was the goal, control group, exposure group, hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable, and results?
Study by Albert Bandura et al.
Goal: to study patterns of behavior associated with aggression [Has serious implications on parenting and schooling]
Hypotheses: Children witnessing an adult role model behaving in an over aggressive manner would likely replicate similar behavior themselves - are they more aggressive than kids that saw a non-aggressive role model? Children who had observed a non-aggressive adult would be the least likely to show violent tendencies.
Children would be more influenced by same-sex adults - manipulation of behavior and gender of adult (2 independent variables with 2 attributes each - gender and behavior = 2 x 2 factorial model)
Independent variable: The exposure to the models both aggressive and non-aggressive.
Dependent Variable: The Preschool kids [36 boys & 36 girls aged 3-6] who received the exposure to both aggressive and non-aggressive models.
Exposure to aggressive modeling:
- A child & the adult model in a playroom - one corner with highly appealing activities and another corner with a toy set, mallet, and inflatable Bobo doll.
- Before leaving, the experimenter told the child not to lay w/ the toys in the adult corner.
- After a min of playing w/ the toy set, the adult in the aggressive model scenario would attack the doll
Results
Children exposed to aggressive model were more likely to act in physically aggressive ways than those who were not exposed to the aggressive model
Children more influenced by same-sex models
Males more aggressive than females
Social learning theory: aggressive behavior is learned through observing and imitating of others
Increased appeal to guns even though they had never been exposed to them before
Also picked up hostile language
