Describe a hypothetical study containing a nonexperimental design, as well as one
strength and one weakness for such a design. Provide an example of a positive and
negative correlation.
What will be an ideal response?
Correlational designs contain hard to manipulate variables, such as age, gender, social
class, marital status, etc. A central strength is that the design allows researchers to study
associations between these hard to manipulate variables, and the study may have good
external validity. Unfortunately, it is difficult to ascertain cause and effect in such
studies, because random assignment is not possible and it is difficult to achieve
experimental control over the target independent variable, as well as other secondary
variables that might affect the study results. In terms of the study variables, a high score
on one variable that predicts a high score on another is known as a positive correlation.
If a low score predicts a high score (or vice verse) one is said to have a negative
correlation.
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When it comes to informational social influence processes, we are more likely to conform with experts' ideas and behaviors than with nonexperts' because
a. social norms dictate that experts should be obeyed. b. expertise is associated with social status and power. c. experts are viewed as more credible sources of information. d. experts convey clearer expectations of obedience.
When adoption studies of schizophrenia contain all the necessary controls and measurements,
a. the role of genes is found to be negligible. b. index subjects are more likely to develop schizophrenia than the control subjects. c. the environment is found to be a more important determinant of psychological health than family history. d. no significant effects are seen.