CRIM 2254 - RESEARCH METHODS (MIDTERM CH.1-5)
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
Experimental Reality (common knowledge 1) - Answers - -Knowledge obtained from
direct EXPERIENCES
-We then use 'CAUSALITY' and 'PROBABILITY' to generalize to other experiences
EX. Burn from a pan
Agreement Reality (common knowledge 2) - Answers - -Knowledge that we accept as
true because other people accept it
-Basis of agreement reality is often TRADITION and AUTHORITY
EX. Passed down info told by a doctor
What are the errors in personal human inquiry? - Answers - 1) Inaccurate observation
2) Overgeneralization
3) Selective observation
4) Illogical Reasoning
5) Ideology and Politics
Inaccurate observation - Answers - Poor observers of our daily life
Overgeneralization - Answers - Drawing widespread conclusions from a few events
Selective observation - Answers - Focusing on only a few events from a more general
set of events
Illogical Reasoning - Answers - -Errors in basic reasoning
-We think heuristically, not in formal logic
Ideology and Politics - Answers - Someone's beliefs influences their investigation and
interpretation of data
The Scientific Method - Answers - -One way of 'knowing' the world
-A set of procedures designed to reduce bias
-Foundation: Rational & Systematic Observation
-3 general steps/pillars:
(i) Theory/hypothesis
(ii) Observation
(iii) Analysis
Human 'everyday' inquiry - Answers - -Unconscious/passive process
,-Unstructured
-aka it simply just happens
Empirical inquiry - Answers - -Conscious / active process
-Structured
-also unlike Human Inquiry, Empirical Inquiry is able to avoid biases
Scientific method vs. other modes of studying social phenomenon - Answers - (1)
Based on theory/hypotheses [not philosophy or belief]
(2) Regularities
(3) Aggregates, not individuals
(4) Variables, not people
1) Based on theory/hypotheses [not philosophy or belief] - Answers - Focuses on what
IS, not how things should/could be [no comment on morality]
2) Regularities - Answers - -Emphasizes patterns in daily life [assumes there are
patterns]
-EX. If someone gets coffee every morning, you can predict there pattern.
3) Aggregates, not individuals - Answers - -Study groups...
From quizlet:
-The collective actions and situations of many individuals.
-Focus of social science is to explain why aggregated patterns of behaviour are regular
even when individuals change over time.
4) Variables, not people - Answers - -Variables represent concepts [e.g., psychopathy,
drug use, crime]
Variables and attributes - Answers - -We study VARIABLE
-Variables represent CONSTRUCT
-Variables contain Attributes
-Attributes = Characteristics of some constructs
EXAMPLES:
VARIABLES: ATTRIBUTES:
1)Crime 1)Violent Crime, Nonviolent Crime
2)Age 2)12-99 years of age
3)Gender 3)Male; Female
4)Psychopathic Personality Disturbance 4)0-40
5)Sentence 5)Fine, Prison, Probation
, Conceptualizing and Operationalizing Variables - Answers - -Together represent the
process of moving from vague ideas about what you want to study to being able to
recognize and measure what you want to study (quizlet definition)
-EX. If you're interested in looking into violent offending then you have to measure for
violent offending specifically, you cannot be looking into general offending
Conceptualization - Answers - -DEFINITION of the variable
-Must be clear and precise
Operationalization - Answers - -MEASUREMENT of the variable
-(i) HOW - What were the steps to measure the variable?
-(ii) WHAT - Specify the exact characteristics [i.e. attributes] that were use in this
measurement
Conceptualizing and operationalizing variables - EX. General Recidivism - Answers - -
Conceptualization:
"Re-arrested for any offense upon release from prison"
-Operationalization:
"Offenders criminal record was checked through RCMP records to determine if they
were re-arrested"
-Attributes examined were: No, Yes
Variables and Relationships - Answers - = RELATIONSHIPS between variables!
-2+ variables.
= Is there an association between 2 variables
-If a relationship is present, one variable influences the other.
-If a relationship is absent, the variable have no influence on each other
Variables and Relationships - EX. Low self-control and crime? - Answers - -Is there a
relationship between low self-control and crime?
-2 variables:
(1) Low self-control: No, Yes
(2) Crime involvement: No, Yes
2 main types of variables - Answers - 1) Dependent Variable aka. Outcome Variable
2) Independent Variable
Dependant Variable (DV) - Answers - -Aka. Outcome Variable
-Influenced by another variable
-i.e., it DEPENDS ON another variable
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
Experimental Reality (common knowledge 1) - Answers - -Knowledge obtained from
direct EXPERIENCES
-We then use 'CAUSALITY' and 'PROBABILITY' to generalize to other experiences
EX. Burn from a pan
Agreement Reality (common knowledge 2) - Answers - -Knowledge that we accept as
true because other people accept it
-Basis of agreement reality is often TRADITION and AUTHORITY
EX. Passed down info told by a doctor
What are the errors in personal human inquiry? - Answers - 1) Inaccurate observation
2) Overgeneralization
3) Selective observation
4) Illogical Reasoning
5) Ideology and Politics
Inaccurate observation - Answers - Poor observers of our daily life
Overgeneralization - Answers - Drawing widespread conclusions from a few events
Selective observation - Answers - Focusing on only a few events from a more general
set of events
Illogical Reasoning - Answers - -Errors in basic reasoning
-We think heuristically, not in formal logic
Ideology and Politics - Answers - Someone's beliefs influences their investigation and
interpretation of data
The Scientific Method - Answers - -One way of 'knowing' the world
-A set of procedures designed to reduce bias
-Foundation: Rational & Systematic Observation
-3 general steps/pillars:
(i) Theory/hypothesis
(ii) Observation
(iii) Analysis
Human 'everyday' inquiry - Answers - -Unconscious/passive process
,-Unstructured
-aka it simply just happens
Empirical inquiry - Answers - -Conscious / active process
-Structured
-also unlike Human Inquiry, Empirical Inquiry is able to avoid biases
Scientific method vs. other modes of studying social phenomenon - Answers - (1)
Based on theory/hypotheses [not philosophy or belief]
(2) Regularities
(3) Aggregates, not individuals
(4) Variables, not people
1) Based on theory/hypotheses [not philosophy or belief] - Answers - Focuses on what
IS, not how things should/could be [no comment on morality]
2) Regularities - Answers - -Emphasizes patterns in daily life [assumes there are
patterns]
-EX. If someone gets coffee every morning, you can predict there pattern.
3) Aggregates, not individuals - Answers - -Study groups...
From quizlet:
-The collective actions and situations of many individuals.
-Focus of social science is to explain why aggregated patterns of behaviour are regular
even when individuals change over time.
4) Variables, not people - Answers - -Variables represent concepts [e.g., psychopathy,
drug use, crime]
Variables and attributes - Answers - -We study VARIABLE
-Variables represent CONSTRUCT
-Variables contain Attributes
-Attributes = Characteristics of some constructs
EXAMPLES:
VARIABLES: ATTRIBUTES:
1)Crime 1)Violent Crime, Nonviolent Crime
2)Age 2)12-99 years of age
3)Gender 3)Male; Female
4)Psychopathic Personality Disturbance 4)0-40
5)Sentence 5)Fine, Prison, Probation
, Conceptualizing and Operationalizing Variables - Answers - -Together represent the
process of moving from vague ideas about what you want to study to being able to
recognize and measure what you want to study (quizlet definition)
-EX. If you're interested in looking into violent offending then you have to measure for
violent offending specifically, you cannot be looking into general offending
Conceptualization - Answers - -DEFINITION of the variable
-Must be clear and precise
Operationalization - Answers - -MEASUREMENT of the variable
-(i) HOW - What were the steps to measure the variable?
-(ii) WHAT - Specify the exact characteristics [i.e. attributes] that were use in this
measurement
Conceptualizing and operationalizing variables - EX. General Recidivism - Answers - -
Conceptualization:
"Re-arrested for any offense upon release from prison"
-Operationalization:
"Offenders criminal record was checked through RCMP records to determine if they
were re-arrested"
-Attributes examined were: No, Yes
Variables and Relationships - Answers - = RELATIONSHIPS between variables!
-2+ variables.
= Is there an association between 2 variables
-If a relationship is present, one variable influences the other.
-If a relationship is absent, the variable have no influence on each other
Variables and Relationships - EX. Low self-control and crime? - Answers - -Is there a
relationship between low self-control and crime?
-2 variables:
(1) Low self-control: No, Yes
(2) Crime involvement: No, Yes
2 main types of variables - Answers - 1) Dependent Variable aka. Outcome Variable
2) Independent Variable
Dependant Variable (DV) - Answers - -Aka. Outcome Variable
-Influenced by another variable
-i.e., it DEPENDS ON another variable
