Deck 2: Theory and Models

Question 1

Which is most clearly an example of a positive (not normative) question?

A)Why doesn't the government provide more money for childcare?
B)Who deserves childcare vouchers more-single working mothers or parents of children with disabilities?
C)Should childcare vouchers cover only licensed day care or also care by a family member?
D)Does receiving a childcare voucher lead to increased family income?

Answer 1

D

Question 2

________________ variables represent steps in the causal process leading from the independent to the dependent variable.

A)disjointed
B)unregulated
C)intervening
D)none of the above

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$ Which of the following is NOT a dependent variable in this model?

A)Complaints
B)Adopting a non-emergency city phone number
C)Media coverage
D)Both B and C

Answer 3

Both B and C

Question 4

Hypotheses are:

A)predictions of what will happen if your theory is correct
B)true statements based upon our research
C)not subject to falsification
D)vague and uncertain

Question 5

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$ Which of the following is a mediator (intervening) variable in this model?

A)Perceived reputation of government
B)Media coverage of local government affairs
C)Service quality
D)Adopting a non-emergency city phone number

Question 6

A ______________ is a graphical or mathematical representation that serves to articulate and communicate a theory.

A)paradigm
B)empirical function
C)model
D)descriptive

Question 7

A study looked at World Bank data on the political stability and economic growth of countries in the worlD .It found that more politically stable countries experienced more economic growth .Which of the following is the unit of analysis in this study?

A)Political stability
B)Economic growth
C)Countries
D)World Bank data
E)None of the above

Question 8

A _____________ represents the objects or things described by the variables in a model, and can also be thought of as the level of aggregation or disaggregation.

A)unit of analysis
B)unit of function
C)unit of ratio
D)unit of idea

Question 9

Theories:

A)Identify key variables
B)Tell causal stories
C)Explain variation
D)All of the above

Question 10

In the statement, disorder causes crime, disorder is the ____________ variable, and crime is the _______________ variable.

A)independent, dependent
B)intervening, uncertain
C)dependent, independent
D)first, second

Question 11

The path diagram X $\rightarrow$ Y represents a causal theory .An explanation of how change in X produces change in Y is also an important part of the theory; it is called the

A)Causal mechanism
B)Causal model
C)Causal information
D)Causal influence

Question 12

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$ Which of the following is a moderator variable in this model?

A)Perceived reputation of government
B)Media coverage of local government affairs
C)Service quality
D)Adopting a non-emergency city phone number

Question 13

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$ Which of the following is NOT an independent variable in the model?

A)Perceived reputation of government
B)Media coverage of local government affairs
C)Complaints
D)Both A and C

Question 14

Theories are created from a number of sources, including:

A)Grand theories
B)Academic disciplines
C)Induction and deduction
D)All of the above

Question 15

Many cities have created non-emergency phone numbers that citizens can call with questions or comments about public services .However, complaints about government services may rise just because complaining is easier .In cities with very low service quality, that relationship may not be as strong because citizens were already making a lot of complaints through other means .On the other hand, citizens often appreciate the non-emergency phone number service, which can improve local government's reputation, and in turn, decrease the number of complaints about government .Other factors, of course, affect the number of complaints besides the non-emergency phone number .For example, news coverage of local government affairs may raise awareness of particular issues and generate additional complaints. A foundation interested in local government affairs developed a logic model and research design to test these hypotheses .The foundation wanted to find out whether the rate of citizen complaints about local government was higher in cities with non-emergency lines, and whether the number of complaints increased after cities adopted non-emergency phone numbers.
$$+$$ What is the unit of analysis in this model?

A)Cities
B)Individuals
C)Complaints
D)Quantitative

Question 16

In the statement "Raising taxes stifles economic growth" which of the following are true:

A)Taxes is the dependent variable
B)Taxes is the independent variable
C)Economic growth is the independent variable
D)Economic growth and taxes are positively related
E)Both A and C

Question 17

A theory has observable implications .In other words, it generates

A)Abstractions
B)Replications
C)Findings
D)Hypotheses