COMM 1100 Exam 1 Questions And Answers |Updated 2026/2027

COMM 1100 Exam 1 Questions And Answers |Updated 2026/2027 what are the FIVE things that make a theory good? - ANSWER -1. falsifiable 2. predictive accuracy 3. internal consistency 4. economy 5. fertility falsifiable - ANSWER -the theory can be tested and rejected; good theories can survive many tests predictive accuracy - ANSWER -the theory can reliably predict behavior internal consistency - ANSWER -the theory has no logical inconsistencies among the constructs economy - ANSWER -the theory only contains needed constructs fertility - ANSWER -the theory spawns other research can a scientist prove something true? - ANSWER -NO; only ever proves something false what is the difference between theories and hypotheses? - ANSWER -• theories are general, hypotheses are specific • hypotheses stem from theories what are the FIVE methodological study approaches? - ANSWER -1. cross sectional study 2. experimental study 3. longitudinal study 4. survey research study 5. content analysis study cross-sectional study - ANSWER -study to measure the strength of 2 variables at a specific interest point, WITHOUT random samples or manipulation of the independent variable what study type can no use random samples and why? - ANSWER -cross sectional studies its not possible for ethical or practical reasons example of a cross-sectional study - ANSWER -measuring the correlation between exposure to violent media and aggression weakness of a cross-sectional study - ANSWER -can not be used to information CAUSALITY what are the THREE correlation types? - ANSWER -1. X -- Y 2. Y -- X X -- Z -- Y what THREE conditions are needed to infer causation? - ANSWER -1. the presumed cause and effect are correlated 2. the presumed cause precedes the presumed effect in time (X -- Y) 3. alternative explanations for the effect are eliminated experimental study - ANSWER -researcher randomly assign participants to an independent variable, manipulating it while holding all there variables constant random assignment - ANSWER -different group for each level of the independent variable with each assignment being random if each person has an equal chance of being in each group random selection - ANSWER -a sample is randomly selected from a population if each person has an equal chance of being selected example of an experimental study - ANSWER -100 people view violent media, 100 view non-violent media, measure aggression in both and measure the differences strength of an experimental study - ANSWER -can infer CAUSALITY weakness of an experimental study - ANSWER -"artificial" setting and measures that test short-term effects longitudinal study - ANSWER -a correlational research study that involves repeated observations the SAME individual over long periods of time exposure effect - ANSWER -occurs when expose to the independent variable at time 1 predicts the dependent variable at time 2 selection effect - ANSWER -occurs when the dependent variable at time 1 predicts the independent variable at time 2 strengths of a longitudinal study - ANSWER -• ability to know what effect precedes the other • can look at cumulative and long term effects weaknesses of a longitudinal study - ANSWER -• NO random assignment possible • very expensive to conduct survey research study - ANSWER -using surveys of different types of collect opinions what are the SIX types of surveys - ANSWER -1. face-to-face interviewing 2. phone interviewing 3. mailed questionnaires 4. internet questionnaires 5. fax polls 6. texting polls what THREE things matter in survey research studies - ANSWER -1. wording of questions 2. order of questions 3. numbers should add up to 100% what is the margin of sampling error - ANSWER -±3%; REGARDLESS OF POPULATION SIZE strengths of a survey research study - ANSWER -• good for assessing public opinion • sometimes the only method available