Exercise 1

GENERAL REVIEW FOR FINAL EXAM

BUSN 364 Özge Can

Final Exam: 

 



Exam Date & Place: June 5, 2013 –Wednesday, 11:00 -12:30 Classroom: O 001-O 002 Exam Format: Open-ended questions (%50) Short essay question based on one research case (%50)

Final Exam Content: 

Major topics for the exam:  Conducting ethical research (week 9)  Measurement and Sampling (week 11)  Survey research (week 12)  Experimental research (week 12)  Esixting statistics/ Secondary research (week 13)  Quantitative data analysis (week 13)

Final Exam Content:1QAa1szx  Field

Research: Observation & Interview (week 14)  Focus groups (week 14)  Analysis of qualitative data (week 14)  Writing the research report (week 15)  

Course Textbook – Neuman (2011): Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Exercise 1: 



Sherman, G. D., Haidt, J., & Coan, J. A. (2009). Viewing cute images increases behavioral carefulness. Emotion, 9, 282-286. This article examined how the perception of cuteness influences behavioral carefulness, enhancing people’s ability to care for infants. While researchers took physiological measures of heart activity and skin conductance, they exposed participants to a slide show of pictures of either i) infant animals (kittens and puppies) previously judged as very cute, or ii) adult animals (cats and dogs) judged to be less cute.

Exercise 1 (con’t) 

Both before and after the slideshow, participants played the game “Operation” that required them to use tweezers to remove plastic body parts without touching the sides of the compartments. The game served as an assessment of behavioral carefulness. Participants exposed to cute infant animals displayed greater improvements in fine-motor control from before to after the slide show. Lack of consistent changes in physiological measures ruled out general physiological arousal as an explanation. Results indicated that cuteness not only motivates people to nurture, but also enhances their ability to do so.

Exercise 1 (con’t) 1. What are the Independent Variable; Dependent Variable and their operational (measurable) definitions here? 2. What are the potential confounding variables? 3. What are the key strengths and weaknesses of the above study design? 4. How strong is the external validity of this research design? 5. One element in this design was a pretest and posttest measure. What are the advantages of using this type of design? Was it necessary? 6. Can you find other ways to manipulate “cuteness” and measure “carefulness” in this experiment?

Exercise 1 - Answers 1. Independent variable => perception of cuteness (measured by slide show of infant animal pictures) Dependent variable => behavioral carefulness (measured by the game “Operation”)

Exercise 1 - Answers 2. Confounding variables (definiton): Factors that are not





part of the intended hypothesis but have effects on variables of interest Possible confounds in this study: Personal factors: personality, prior experience with infant animals, general skill and ability level, general physiological arousal (controlled in the study) and etc. Other: the pictures selected (is there a shared understanding on what is “cute”?), knowing that you are in an experiment (anxiety, excess motivation and etc)

Exercise 1 - Answers 3. We should evaluate it based on how much it fits to a classic experimental design: There is an experiment and a control group (strength) There is pre-test and post-test of the DV (strength) Controls for a potential confounding variable (strength) No random sampling to two groups (weakness) How good are the measurements and the manipulation. They may somewhat “artificial” and not represent the real world (weakness)

Exercise 1 - Answers 4. To increase external validity: 





We should have random sampling and random assignment. Do we have these in the research? Manipulation of “cuteness” effective enough? Can we measure it in a better way? Can the performance in the game “Operation” really explain nurturing behavior in life?

Exercise 1 - Answers 5. Pre-test and post-test => measuring dependent variable both before the treatment (manipulation) and after the treatment 



In this study, participants play the game “Operation” both before and after watching the slide show Pre-test and post-test design better grasps the real impact of the IV (manipulation) by enabling us to compare the situation before and after and see whether there is any difference.

Exercise 1 - Answers 6. Alternative measures: 



For “cuteness” => the smell of baby powder versus deodorant; watching babies smiling and sleeping innocently versus older children playing aggressively and fighting; showing a video of little children with bunny customes vs. witch costumes

For “carefulness” => walking a balance beam, carrying an egg on a spoon, playing a videogame, simulation of driving a car in the traffic, carrying a tray with one hand, taking a test, solving a puzzle

Exercise 2: Please indicate whether the following measures are nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio scales a) Prices on the stock market b) Marital status, classified as “married” and “single” c) Academic rank: instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor d) Letter grades at school: A, B, C, and D

Levels of Measurement

Exercise 2- Answers a) Prices on the stock market => ratio b) Marital status, classified as “married” and “single” => nominal c) Academic rank: instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor => ordinal d) Letter grades at school: A, B, C, and D => interval

Exercise 3: 

Please identify and briefly comment on which type of sampling is more appropriate for each case

a) Economists try to come up with a consumer price index which involves a sample of market items which they think serves the economic purpose best b) Selection of people for jury duty without giving anyone any priority

Exercise 3 (con’t) c) We want to know about the general technology preferences of the subscribers of an engineering journal. Subscribers are composed of mechanical engineers, electrical engineers and civil engineers. d) Special interest on the lifes and problems of heavy drinking (alcoholic) people

Exercise 3 –Answers: a) Non-random sampling (e.g. theoretical or judgmental sampling) b) Random sampling (e.g. simple random sampling) c) Random sampling (e.g. stratified sampling) d) Non-random sampling (e.g. snowball sampling)

Exercise 4: 



Please identify what is wrong with each of the following survey questions and make suggestions on how they can be improved Do you ever feel alienated from your work?  All

the time  Often  Occasionally  Never

Exercise 4 (con’t) 

What is your annual salary?  Below

5,000 TL  5,000 – 10,000 TL  10,000 – 15,000 TL  15,000 – 20,000 TL  20,000 – 25,000 TL  25,000 – 30,000 TL  30,000 TL and above

Exercise 4 (con’t) 

How satisfied are you with the provision of educational services and social services in your area?  Very

satisfied  Fairly satisfied  Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied  Fairly dissatisfied  Very dissatisfied

Exercise 4 (con’t) 

Do you think scientists should step up the research for new, more effective, affordable detection methods?

Yes  No 

Exercise 5: 

a) b) c) d) e)

Please design each of the above sources in the appropriate APA reference style

308-324. Journal of Culinary Science & Technology Ruetzler, T. 21(4) Food, bevarage, and service quality: Does culture impact satisfaction with university food services? f) (2008).

Exercise 5- Answers:

Exercise 5 (con’t): a) b) c) d) e) f)

APA Online (2004). retrieved May 22, 2008 American Psychological Association from http://apa.org/pi.vio&tv.html Violence on television: What do children learn? What can parents do?

Exercise 5- Answers: