Question 1

Ethnographers using participant observation must always be aware of reflexivity,which occurs because

Accepted Answer

Reflexivity refers to the concept that the presence and actions of the researcher in the field may affect or alter the behavior of the participants being observed. This can then impact the accuracy and reliability of the data collected during participant observation. Therefore, ethnographers must be aware of the potential for reflexivity and take steps to mitigate it.

Question 2

What are the goals of ethnography?

Accepted Answer

The main goal of ethnography is to understand the meanings people attach to their activities. Ethnographers aim to achieve this by immersing themselves in the cultural context they are studying, observing people, and asking them questions. While ethnography may involve interviews, its goal is not to develop quantitative data sets or ethics and standards for sociological research.

Question 3

What does it mean if a sample of sociological research is representative?

Accepted Answer

If a sample of sociological research is representative, it means that the smaller group of people studied can tell us something about a larger group. This is because the sample has been carefully selected to accurately reflect the characteristics of the larger population, allowing us to make valid inferences and generalizations about that population.

Question 4

In her ethnography Wheeling & Dealing,Patricia Adler investigates the social and professional worlds of midlevel cocaine and marijuana smugglers.Her research started unexpectedly when she discovered that her next-door neighbor and friend was a drug smuggler.This was a huge advantage for her because it meant that she already had ________ with one of her informants.

Accepted Answer

"Rapport" refers to a sense of trust, connection, and understanding between the researcher and the participant. Since Adler already had a relationship with her next-door neighbor and friend who happened to be a drug smuggler, she had an advantage in building rapport with at least one of her informants.

Question 5

Which method of social research might involve shifting between participating in a social situation and being an observer?

Accepted Answer

Ethnography involves immersing oneself in a social setting and observing and participating in social interactions. This method allows the researcher to gain a deep understanding of the culture and social norms of the group being studied.

Question 6

Which of the following is a DISADVANTAGE of using ethnography as a method of social research?

Accepted Answer

Ethnography involves in-depth, qualitative research that is context-specific, making it challenging for other researchers to replicate the study exactly due to its unique and subjective nature.

Question 7

Which of the following is an advantage of using ethnography to study social life?

Accepted Answer

Ethnography allows the researcher to gather abundant data on a small population, which can lead to more in-depth and detailed analysis of social life within that population. This is often seen as an advantage over other research methods, such as surveys or experiments, which may gather broader data but not as much depth on a particular group.

Question 8

In their ethnography Promises I Can Keep: Why Poor Women Put Motherhood before Marriage,Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas studied the realities of single motherhood for poor,urban women.Before beginning their research,they immersed themselves in the community.Edin moved her family to the city and they both volunteered in community programs.Immersing themselves in the community is an example of

Accepted Answer

Immersing oneself in the community is a method of gaining access to the social setting being studied. This allows researchers to build relationships with community members, gain their trust, and ultimately conduct more effective research.

Question 9

The sociologist Mitch Duneier wrote his ethnography Sidewalk about street vendors in New York City's Greenwich Village.While writing the book,Duneier was particularly concerned that the people he was studying would alter their behavior when he was present,especially since his background was different from theirs.This caused him to think critically about his activities and role as a researcher.What do sociologists call this?

Accepted Answer

The concept being described is reflexivity, which is the recognition by the researcher that their presence and actions may impact the behavior of those being studied. This can lead to critical self-reflection on the part of the researcher. Response rate refers to the percentage of people who participate in a study. Validity refers to the accuracy and truthfulness of research findings. Thick description refers to the detailed and specific description of social phenomena. None of these concepts are specifically applicable to the situation described in the question.

Question 10

When engaging in participant observation,researchers can study others as well as themselves.
Research that focuses on one's own thoughts,feelings,and experiences is known as

Accepted Answer

The research method that focuses on the researcher's own thoughts, feelings, and experiences is known as autoethnography. This involves using personal narrative to gain insight into cultural practices and experiences. Life history is a method of collecting data about an individual's life experiences and events. Internal investigation is not a commonly used term in social research. Content analysis involves analyzing and interpreting the content of written or visual media.

Question 11

Which of the following research techniques focuses on gaining an insider's perspective of the everyday lives of subjects under investigation,often dispelling stereotypes about the group being investigated?

Accepted Answer

Participant observation involves immersing oneself in the everyday activities and experiences of the group being studied, often allowing the researcher to gain a more nuanced understanding of the group's culture and practices. This approach is particularly useful for dispelling stereotypes and gaining an insider's perspective. Surveys, analysis of existing data, and experiments are all useful research techniques, but they do not necessarily focus specifically on gaining an insider's perspective.

Question 12

In his research,the ethnographer Richard Mitchell kept his identity a secret while studying militant survivalist groups.Sometimes he even presented himself as a believer in the survivalists' paranoid,racist ideologies,in order to establish

Accepted Answer

Mitchell presented himself as a believer in the survivalists' ideologies to establish rapport with them. This means that he was trying to build a relationship of trust and understanding with the group, which is a crucial aspect of ethnographic research. By doing so, he was able to gain access to their world and gain deeper insights into their beliefs and practices.

Option A, reflexivity, refers to the researcher's awareness of their own influence on the research process, which is relevant but not the best option in this case. Option B, thick description, refers to the detailed and comprehensive account of the social and cultural practices of a group, which is important but not specifically related to Mitchell's use of deception to build rapport. Option D, replicability, is not relevant to this scenario as it focuses on the ability of other researchers to repeat the study and obtain similar results.

Question 13

Julie Bettie wrote her ethnography Women without Class: Girls,Race,and Identity to examine the role of race and class in the lives of girls in California's Central Valley.She did most of her work at a high school,hanging out with students and writing down her observations.What do ethnographers call her written observations?

Accepted Answer

Ethnographers call written observations "field notes."

Question 14

What kind of research are you doing if you observe a group in order to determine its norms,values,rules,and meanings?

Accepted Answer

Observing a group in order to determine its norms, values, rules, and meanings is a qualitative research method. This type of research focuses on understanding the experiences, perspectives, and behaviors of individuals or groups in their natural setting without manipulating any variables. Qualitative research typically involves collecting data through methods such as observation, interviews, and focus groups.

Question 15

If changing one variable seems to lead to a change in another variable,this shows ________ but does not necessarily prove ________.

Accepted Answer

When changing one variable seems to lead to a change in another variable, it shows a correlation between the two variables, but it does not necessarily prove causation. Other factors could be influencing the relationship between the variables, and a more in-depth study would be necessary to determine if there is actually a causal relationship between the variables. Choice A is incorrect because a paradigm shift refers to a major change in scientific theories or beliefs, which is not relevant to this scenario. Choice C is the opposite of the correct answer, as this statement explicitly states that correlation is not the same as causation. Choice D is also irrelevant to this scenario, as applied research refers to the practical application of scientific knowledge, rather than the relationship between variables.

Question 16

Frances is assigned a research project in which she is to attend a celebratory family meal and analyze her experiences as she participates in the meal.She is asked to make a detailed account of the meal that includes her thoughts and feelings about the event.What type of research is Frances assigned?

Accepted Answer

Frances is assigned an autoethnographic research project, which involves analyzing her own experiences and emotions within a cultural context. She is expected to make a detailed account of the celebratory family meal that includes her own thoughts and feelings as she participates in it. This type of research allows for a deeper understanding of the cultural norms and practices involved in the meal, as well as how Frances herself is perceived by and interacts with her family members.

Question 17

What does it mean if ethnographers are overt about their roles?

Accepted Answer

If ethnographers are overt about their roles, it means that they openly admit that they are doing sociological research. This approach can be beneficial as it promotes transparency and encourages honest responses from participants who are aware of the research being conducted.

Question 18

A researcher must identify a target population before engaging in sampling.What is the target population?

Accepted Answer

The target population refers to the larger group of people that the researcher wishes to generalize their findings to. It is important to identify this population before sampling in order to ensure that the sample represents this larger group accurately. Option A is incorrect as the target population is not necessarily the same as the group of people whose behavior the researcher wants to influence. Option B is also incorrect as the sample is drawn from the target population, not vice versa. Option C is incorrect as the target population is not based on how frequently a group has been studied in the past.

Question 19

Which methodology MOST closely resembles the scientific method?

Accepted Answer

Experimental research involves developing a hypothesis, manipulating an independent variable, measuring a dependent variable, and controlling for extraneous variables, which mirrors the steps of the scientific method. Ethnography, surveys, and interviews do not always involve hypothesis testing or experimental manipulation.

Question 20

Sociologists who conduct interviews can only gather data from a limited number of people because

Accepted Answer

Interviews require significant time to conduct, analyze, and interpret, limiting the number of participants researchers can feasibly include.

Quiz 2: Studying Social Life: Sociology Research Methods