RSC2601 LATEST
EXAM PACK
, lOMoAR cPSD| 48433225
QUESTION 1 (1-11)
A person of high academic standing is given the task by the local
government to investigate the best ways of ensuring participation of people
living in a small town in an agricultural development project. Being of her
high status, she speaks with authority.
The research results obtained by this person must be:
1) Accepted unquestioningly because of the high academic standing of the
researcher
2) Rejected because authority is not a valid way to gain knowledge
3) Rejected because participation is a form of common sense knowledge
4) Accepted if it withstands critical scrutiny
The correct answer is (4)
But the problem with relying on authority is that we can overestimate the
expertise of persons in authority: in other words, experts can be wrong.
When we do not know how the experts arrived at their knowledge, we
should be careful in accepting their conclusions.
Therefore 1) is incorrect.
A person in a position of authority is likely to have earned that authority by
his or her experience and may therefore be able to offer us reliable
knowledge. In other words, that person has spent time and effort learning
something and others can benefit from this.
Therefore 2) and 3) is incorrect.
QUESTION 2 (1-11)
The different accounts of people having witnessed a car accident can be
ascribed to:
Pg.2
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1) Overgeneralisation
2) Selective observation
3) Ego involvement
4) Stress
The correct answer is (2)
Overgeneralisation may lead to selective observation. Once the decision is
made that events are following a particular pattern, and you think you
know why, you will tend to pay attention mainly to future situations that
correspond with that pattern. You will also tend to overlook the situations
that conflict with the pattern.
QUESTION 3 (1-11)
People's dependence on media presentations for understanding the impact
of, for example, sophisticated communication technology on their daily
lives, is an example of ___.
1) Media myths.
2) Authonty
3) Mythical Interpretation of technology.
Scepticism towards technology.
4)
The correct answer is (1) SG p8
Media Myths: The mass media, including television, films, newspapers and
magazines and, most recently, the Internet, have a powerful influence on
knowledge. Most people learn about the world and develop their concept of
social reality according to what they see, hear and read in the media.
However, as Neuman (1997) points out, the chief purpose of the media is to
entertain, not to present reality accurately. Writers who adapt real life for
television shows and films scripts distort reality, often relying on tradition,
Pg.3
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authority or common sense. Writers for newspapers and magazines have
deadlines which limit their information and they cannot be specialists in
every topic they write about. Mistakes may be made from ignorance. Public
thinking can be changed by selective emphasis, and this, in turn, can lead
people into error.
QUESTION 4 (1-11)
Identify the epistemological statement:
1) Social reality and natural reality can be studied in the same way
2) Social reality is inherently meaningful
3) Human beings are reflexive
4) Patriarchy is common in traditional societies
5) Hidden structures mask the true nature of social reality
The correct answer is (1) SG p20
“We shall explain epistemology in the context of the social sciences with
reference to the following epistemological question:
“Can social reality (things such as groups, societies, norms, organisations)
be studied in the same way as natural reality (things such as atoms, bodies,
viruses, planets?” Ontology involves assumptions which refer to what
researchers think exists and is real, e.g. A rectangle has 4 sides. Option 2 –
5 refer to ontological statements. Epistemology deals with how we can
know and explain something, i.e. one can calculate the area of a rectangle
with a formula.
QUESTION 5 (1-11)
Research on juvenile delinquency would be regarded and interpretive if it:
1) Establishes a crucial relationship between juvenile delinquency and
poverty
Pg.4
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EXAM PACK
, lOMoAR cPSD| 48433225
QUESTION 1 (1-11)
A person of high academic standing is given the task by the local
government to investigate the best ways of ensuring participation of people
living in a small town in an agricultural development project. Being of her
high status, she speaks with authority.
The research results obtained by this person must be:
1) Accepted unquestioningly because of the high academic standing of the
researcher
2) Rejected because authority is not a valid way to gain knowledge
3) Rejected because participation is a form of common sense knowledge
4) Accepted if it withstands critical scrutiny
The correct answer is (4)
But the problem with relying on authority is that we can overestimate the
expertise of persons in authority: in other words, experts can be wrong.
When we do not know how the experts arrived at their knowledge, we
should be careful in accepting their conclusions.
Therefore 1) is incorrect.
A person in a position of authority is likely to have earned that authority by
his or her experience and may therefore be able to offer us reliable
knowledge. In other words, that person has spent time and effort learning
something and others can benefit from this.
Therefore 2) and 3) is incorrect.
QUESTION 2 (1-11)
The different accounts of people having witnessed a car accident can be
ascribed to:
Pg.2
© 2018 Together We Pass. All rights reserved.
Downloaded by Vincent master ()
, lOMoAR cPSD| 48433225
1) Overgeneralisation
2) Selective observation
3) Ego involvement
4) Stress
The correct answer is (2)
Overgeneralisation may lead to selective observation. Once the decision is
made that events are following a particular pattern, and you think you
know why, you will tend to pay attention mainly to future situations that
correspond with that pattern. You will also tend to overlook the situations
that conflict with the pattern.
QUESTION 3 (1-11)
People's dependence on media presentations for understanding the impact
of, for example, sophisticated communication technology on their daily
lives, is an example of ___.
1) Media myths.
2) Authonty
3) Mythical Interpretation of technology.
Scepticism towards technology.
4)
The correct answer is (1) SG p8
Media Myths: The mass media, including television, films, newspapers and
magazines and, most recently, the Internet, have a powerful influence on
knowledge. Most people learn about the world and develop their concept of
social reality according to what they see, hear and read in the media.
However, as Neuman (1997) points out, the chief purpose of the media is to
entertain, not to present reality accurately. Writers who adapt real life for
television shows and films scripts distort reality, often relying on tradition,
Pg.3
© 2018 Together We Pass. All rights reserved.
Downloaded by Vincent master ()
, lOMoAR cPSD| 48433225
authority or common sense. Writers for newspapers and magazines have
deadlines which limit their information and they cannot be specialists in
every topic they write about. Mistakes may be made from ignorance. Public
thinking can be changed by selective emphasis, and this, in turn, can lead
people into error.
QUESTION 4 (1-11)
Identify the epistemological statement:
1) Social reality and natural reality can be studied in the same way
2) Social reality is inherently meaningful
3) Human beings are reflexive
4) Patriarchy is common in traditional societies
5) Hidden structures mask the true nature of social reality
The correct answer is (1) SG p20
“We shall explain epistemology in the context of the social sciences with
reference to the following epistemological question:
“Can social reality (things such as groups, societies, norms, organisations)
be studied in the same way as natural reality (things such as atoms, bodies,
viruses, planets?” Ontology involves assumptions which refer to what
researchers think exists and is real, e.g. A rectangle has 4 sides. Option 2 –
5 refer to ontological statements. Epistemology deals with how we can
know and explain something, i.e. one can calculate the area of a rectangle
with a formula.
QUESTION 5 (1-11)
Research on juvenile delinquency would be regarded and interpretive if it:
1) Establishes a crucial relationship between juvenile delinquency and
poverty
Pg.4
© 2018 Together We Pass. All rights reserved.
Downloaded by Vincent master ()
