,White, Family Theories 4e
Chapter 1 Test Questions
1. A scientific theory contains systematically related ______ that can be tested.
a. hunches
*b. propositions
c. conditions
d. guesses
2. Theories offer explanations by treating specific observations as examples of
a. the truth.
b. observer bias.
c. specific activities.
*d. general principles.
3. Which of the following is an example of an inductive process? A researcher
*a. observes several similar instances of people falling in love and creates a hypothesis about love.
b. reviews literature about divorce and then tries to replicate the results in other survey data.
c. analyzes data collected about parenting and concludes that the data confirms Attachment Theory.
d. tests the idea that depression and marital happiness are related by conducting an online study.
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the building blocks of all scientific theories?
a. concepts
*b. calibrations
c. relations
d. propositions
5. Which of the following describes how abstractions are related?
a. propositions
b. concepts
c. calibrations
*d. relations
6. To be a theory, by definition, it must have
*a. logical form.
b. one or more propositions.
c. a single concept.
d. more than three relations.
7. In a syllogism, the “rule of distributed middle” means that the middle term appears at the ___ of the
first premise and at the ___ of the second premise.
a. end; end
b. beginning; beginning
c. beginning; end
*d. end; beginning
,White, Family Theories 4e
8. The “rule of distributed middle” is related to the
a. explanatory power by adding hypotheses to a theory.
*b. logical argument that links two premises to draw a conclusion.
c. effort to create scientific consensus regarding how a concept is defined.
d. belief that extreme theories are less likely to be accurate.
9. In contrast to a religious, literary, or political proposition, to be a scientific proposition it must be
a. objectively important.
b. obvious to observers.
*c. empirically testable.
d. proven true.
10. Scientific theories use _____ arguments to explain phenomena.
a. intuitive
b. demographic
c. inductive
*d. deductive
11. Compared to most other social groups, family relationships tend to be more
a. independent.
*b. involuntary.
c. similar in the age of its members.
d. exclusively affinal.
12. Consistent with the quotes by Burr and Homans, ____ is often considered the most important
function of theory.
a. precision
*b. explanation
c. prediction
d. interpretation
13. Which of the following functions of theory focuses on the clarity of articulation of concepts?
*a. precision
b. explanation
c. prediction
d. interpretation
14. Which of the following functions of theory focuses on describing subject matter and promoting
stories about the way things work?
a. precision
b. explanation
c. prediction
*d. interpretation
15. Family as a(n) _________ includes all of the beliefs and practices of and about all families in a
particular society or geopolitical context.
a. concrete group
b. orientation
, White, Family Theories 4e
*c. institution
d. specific household
16. Which of the following is the clearest example of a family idea appearing as part of an explanation in
a theory about poverty?
a. living in an impoverished neighborhood contributes to marital conflict
*b. unwed parenthood leads to higher poverty rates in a country
c. malnutrition due to poverty contributes to children disobeying their parents
d. low-wage employment leads to a lower likelihood of getting married
17. Which of the following criteria for evaluating family theories focuses on existence of logically
contradictory assertions?
*a. Internal consistency
b. Coherence
c. Empirical fit
d. Groundedness
18. Which of the following criteria for evaluating family theories focuses on processes that are
observable in the world?
a. Internal consistency
b. Coherence
c. Empirical fit
*d. Groundedness
19. Which of the following criteria for evaluating family theories focuses on the avoidance of loose
ends?
a. Internal consistency
*b. Coherence
c. Empirical fit
d. Groundedness
20. Which of the following criteria for evaluating family theories focuses on tests of theory that have
been interpreted as disconfirming?
a. Internal consistency
b. Coherence
*c. Empirical fit
d. Groundedness
21. According to a survey of 100 family scientists, the most important criteria for evaluating family
theories is
*a. Internal consistency
b. Coherence
c. Empirical fit
d. Groundedness
22. A deductive research approach goes from ideas to data.
*a. True
b. False
Chapter 1 Test Questions
1. A scientific theory contains systematically related ______ that can be tested.
a. hunches
*b. propositions
c. conditions
d. guesses
2. Theories offer explanations by treating specific observations as examples of
a. the truth.
b. observer bias.
c. specific activities.
*d. general principles.
3. Which of the following is an example of an inductive process? A researcher
*a. observes several similar instances of people falling in love and creates a hypothesis about love.
b. reviews literature about divorce and then tries to replicate the results in other survey data.
c. analyzes data collected about parenting and concludes that the data confirms Attachment Theory.
d. tests the idea that depression and marital happiness are related by conducting an online study.
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the building blocks of all scientific theories?
a. concepts
*b. calibrations
c. relations
d. propositions
5. Which of the following describes how abstractions are related?
a. propositions
b. concepts
c. calibrations
*d. relations
6. To be a theory, by definition, it must have
*a. logical form.
b. one or more propositions.
c. a single concept.
d. more than three relations.
7. In a syllogism, the “rule of distributed middle” means that the middle term appears at the ___ of the
first premise and at the ___ of the second premise.
a. end; end
b. beginning; beginning
c. beginning; end
*d. end; beginning
,White, Family Theories 4e
8. The “rule of distributed middle” is related to the
a. explanatory power by adding hypotheses to a theory.
*b. logical argument that links two premises to draw a conclusion.
c. effort to create scientific consensus regarding how a concept is defined.
d. belief that extreme theories are less likely to be accurate.
9. In contrast to a religious, literary, or political proposition, to be a scientific proposition it must be
a. objectively important.
b. obvious to observers.
*c. empirically testable.
d. proven true.
10. Scientific theories use _____ arguments to explain phenomena.
a. intuitive
b. demographic
c. inductive
*d. deductive
11. Compared to most other social groups, family relationships tend to be more
a. independent.
*b. involuntary.
c. similar in the age of its members.
d. exclusively affinal.
12. Consistent with the quotes by Burr and Homans, ____ is often considered the most important
function of theory.
a. precision
*b. explanation
c. prediction
d. interpretation
13. Which of the following functions of theory focuses on the clarity of articulation of concepts?
*a. precision
b. explanation
c. prediction
d. interpretation
14. Which of the following functions of theory focuses on describing subject matter and promoting
stories about the way things work?
a. precision
b. explanation
c. prediction
*d. interpretation
15. Family as a(n) _________ includes all of the beliefs and practices of and about all families in a
particular society or geopolitical context.
a. concrete group
b. orientation
, White, Family Theories 4e
*c. institution
d. specific household
16. Which of the following is the clearest example of a family idea appearing as part of an explanation in
a theory about poverty?
a. living in an impoverished neighborhood contributes to marital conflict
*b. unwed parenthood leads to higher poverty rates in a country
c. malnutrition due to poverty contributes to children disobeying their parents
d. low-wage employment leads to a lower likelihood of getting married
17. Which of the following criteria for evaluating family theories focuses on existence of logically
contradictory assertions?
*a. Internal consistency
b. Coherence
c. Empirical fit
d. Groundedness
18. Which of the following criteria for evaluating family theories focuses on processes that are
observable in the world?
a. Internal consistency
b. Coherence
c. Empirical fit
*d. Groundedness
19. Which of the following criteria for evaluating family theories focuses on the avoidance of loose
ends?
a. Internal consistency
*b. Coherence
c. Empirical fit
d. Groundedness
20. Which of the following criteria for evaluating family theories focuses on tests of theory that have
been interpreted as disconfirming?
a. Internal consistency
b. Coherence
*c. Empirical fit
d. Groundedness
21. According to a survey of 100 family scientists, the most important criteria for evaluating family
theories is
*a. Internal consistency
b. Coherence
c. Empirical fit
d. Groundedness
22. A deductive research approach goes from ideas to data.
*a. True
b. False
