Sampling Ch.6 Test Questions & Answers

Test Bank

Chapter 6: Sampling

Multiple Choice

1. The ______ is the group of individuals a researcher wants to learn about in a study, whereas the ______ is the group of individuals tested in a study.

a. sample; population

b. population; sample

c. population; sampling error

d. sampling error; population

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. The difference in scores that occurs when we test a sample drawn out of the population is ______.

a. sampling error

b. stratified error

c. cluster error

d. independent error

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

Use the following description for questions (3) and (4): An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that exercise affects memory in the elderly. Participants aged 60 and older who responded to an ad in the local newspaper were recruited for the study. All the participants were presented with the same study list. Then half of the participants were asked to walk on a treadmill for 20 minutes, while the other half of the participants were asked to complete Sudoku puzzles for 20 minutes. Then all the participants were given a recognition test for the items in the study list. The treadmill exercise group scored significantly lower on the recognition test than the Sudoku puzzle group.

3. The most likely population for this study is ______.

a. all Americans

b. all people

c. all adults over age 60

d. all adults who exercise

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. The sampling technique used for this study is ______.

a. simple random sample

b. quota sample

c. volunteer sample

d. stratified random sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Volunteer Samples

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. The sampling technique that involves choosing individuals from the population at random where each individual has an equal chance of being selected is ______.

a. simple random sample

b. quota sample

c. volunteer sample

d. stratified random sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Simple Random Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. The sampling technique that involves choosing individuals from the population at random where the proportions of members of different groups are the same in the population and the sample is ______.

a. simple random sample

b. cluster sample

c. volunteer sample

d. stratified random sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Stratified Random Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. The sampling technique that involves choosing individuals from the population such that individuals are chosen from a pre-existing group ______.

a. simple random sample

b. cluster sample

c. haphazard sample

d. stratified random sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cluster Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. The sampling technique that involves choosing individuals from the population such that individuals from the population who volunteer are selected ______.

a. simple random sample

b. quota sample

c. haphazard sample

d. stratified random sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Volunteer Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. The sampling technique that is likely to create the smallest amount of sampling error ______.

a. cluster sample

b. simple random sample

c. volunteer sample

d. stratified random sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Simple Random Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. The sampling technique that is likely to create the largest amount of sampling error ______.

a. stratified random sample

b. simple random sample

c. volunteer sample

d. cluster sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Volunteer Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. A description of a cluster sample might be ______.

a. people who respond to a mailed survey make up the sample

b. all students who sign up for a study make up the sample

c. 60% of the population is left handed so 60% of the subjects chosen are also left handed

d. subjects are selected from a local preschool class to represent preschoolers who live in the area

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Cluster Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. A quota sample example might be described as ______.

a. people who respond to a mailed survey make up the sample

b. all students who sign up for a study make up the sample

c. 60% of the population is left handed so 60% of the participants chosen are also left handed

d. participants are selected from a local preschool class to represent preschoolers who live in the area

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Quota Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Individuals are selected from a participant pool made up of students at a university who volunteer for the study. This type of sampling is ______.

a. simple random sample

b. stratified random sample

c. haphazard/volunteer sample

d. cluster sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location Volunteer Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Students are selected at random from lists of students at a university organized by class level such that the proportion of individuals at each class level in the population of students matches the proportion selected for the sample. This type of sampling is ______.

a. simple random sample

b. stratified random sample

c. haphazard/volunteer sample

d. cluster sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Stratified Random Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. Individuals are selected at random for a study from a list of members of Girl Scout troops to represent the population of girls aged 8–13. This sampling is ______.

a. simple random sample

b. stratified random sample

c. haphazard/volunteer sample

d. cluster sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Cluster Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. Individuals are selected at random from a list of phone numbers to be called for a survey making the sampling used a ______.

a. simple random

b. stratified random

c. haphazard/volunteer

d. cluster

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Simple Random Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

17. Volunteers are selected from students such that the proportion of students in each age range in the sample matches the proportion in the population, using ______ type of sampling.

a. quota sample

b. stratified random sample

c. haphazard/volunteer sample

d. cluster sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Quota Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. Convenience samples will likely increase the amount of sampling error in the study, lowering its ______ validity by making a test of the hypotheses less accurate.

a. external

b. sample

c. haphazard

d. internal

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. The most common type of convenience sample used by psychologists is the ______ sample.

a. simple random

b. cluster

c. haphazard

d. stratified random

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Volunteer Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. The percentage of people out of the total number available who respond to a survey is called the ______.

a. response rate

b. reply speed

c. response speed

d. percentage rate

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Sampling

Difficulty Level: Easy

21. Convenience samples are also called ______.

a. volunteer samples

b. haphazard samples

c. cluster samples

d. purposive samples

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

22. The ______ is not a probability sample.

a. simple random sample

b. stratified random sample

c. cluster sample

d. haphazard sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Volunteer Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

23. Unlike a stratified random sample, the ______ sample will make use of convenience sampling techniques such as recruiting participants from a participant sign-up pool or asking students sitting in the library to fill out the survey.

a. simple random

b. quota

c. volunteer

d. haphazard

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Quota Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. The ______ population is the population to which the researcher wishes to generalize the results of the study.

a. target

b. general

c. accessible

d. universal

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Comparison of Probability and Convenience Sampling Techniques

Difficulty Level: Easy

25. ______ participants may be more likely to respond to e-mail contacts, whereas ______ participants may be more likely to respond to phone contacts.

a. Younger; older

b. Older; younger

c. Male; female

d. Female; male

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Recruiting Participants

Difficulty Level: Easy

26. Probability samples can ______ the amount of sampling error that exists in a study.

a. increase

b. double

c. reduce

d. eliminate

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Probability Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

27. In a simple random sample, if a population has 100 individuals, the chance of any one individual being selected for the sample is ______.

a. 1 in 100

b. 50 in 100

c. 4 in 100

d. 10 in 100

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Simple Random Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

28. Convenience samples make it more difficult to generalize the results of the study to the population, lowering its ______.

a. internal validity

b. external validity

c. power

d. probability

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Convenience Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

29. Convenience samples likely increase the amount of sampling error in the study, lowering its ______.

a. internal validity

b. external validity

c. power

d. probability

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Convenience Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

30. A sample chosen such that individuals are chosen with a specific probability is ______ sampling.

a. convenience

b. haphazard

c. volunteer

d. probability

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

31. A sample chosen such that the probability of an individual being chosen cannot be determined is a ______.

a. convenience sample

b. haphazard sample

c. volunteer sample

d. probability sample

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

32. It is important to use a ______ sample when sampling error is likely to be large.

a. convenience

b. haphazard

c. volunteer

d. probability

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Probability Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

33. Sampling error will ______ whenever observations differ greatly from participant to participant in a sample.

a. increase

b. slightly decrease

c. stay the same

d. significantly decrease

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Probability Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

34. Simple random samples can be difficult to obtain for ______ populations.

a. small

b. large

c. diverse

d. homogenous

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Probability Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

35. ______ require access in some way to the entire population to select individuals according to a predetermined probability value.

a. Convenience samples

b. Haphazard samples

c. Volunteer samples

d. Probability samples

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Convenience Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

36. Study participant recruitment incentives may be influential to certain types of students making the results ______.

a. less difficult to generalize

b. more difficult to generalize

c. more narrow in scope

d. less narrow in scope

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Volunteer Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

37. Kahn and Schlosser (2010) study of doctoral students stratified programs ______ and ______.

a. by area; by size

b. by age; by area

c. by gender; by size

d. by age; by gender

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Stratified Random Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

38. In convenience samples the probability of an individual being chosen from the population cannot be determined, because individuals are ______.

a. not entirely voluntary

b. less representative

c. not chosen randomly

d. more likely to drop out

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

39. One way to fix the problem of lessened representativeness in cluster sampling is to ______ of clusters in the sampling procedure.

a. use another level

b. eliminate some

c. switch participants

d. use larger sizes

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Cluster Samples

Difficulty Level: Medium

True/False

1. Internet samples are typically less representative of the population of interest than samples that are collected face-to-face.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Using the Internet to Sample

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. All sampling error can be removed from a study if the appropriate sampling technique is used.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. All studies, regardless of sampling technique, are subject to sampling error.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. External validity of a study should be considered when conclusions are drawn from results collected with a convenience sample.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Convenience Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. It is usually possible to test the entire population in a research study.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. In convenience samples the probability of an individual being chosen from the population cannot be determined, because individuals are not chosen randomly.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Convenience Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. A disadvantage of cluster sampling is that a portion of the population may be missed in the sample, giving the researcher a sample that is not fully representative of the population.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cluster Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. Volunteer samples are uncommon in psychological research.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Volunteer Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. Quota samples are similar to stratified random samples without the random selection from subsets of the population.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Quota Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Many researchers have argued that results from psychological studies using volunteer college students for samples are not informative about the behavior in the general population.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Volunteer Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Convenience samples where past participants recommend future participants is acquaintance sampling.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Snowball Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. Important knowledge can still be gained about human behavior from studies where it is unclear how well the results generalize to everyday behaviors and populations.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Comparison of Probability and Convenience Sampling Techniques

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Stratified random sampling ensures equal probability of being chosen from a large population.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. Cluster sampling makes it easier to choose members randomly from smaller clusters to better represent the population.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Easy

Essay

1. Discuss the recruiting of study participants and what researchers need to consider.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Recruiting Participants

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Discuss how a research study’s response rate affects the overall study.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Sampling

Difficulty Level: Hard

3. Describe the difference between a sample and a population and how sampling error occurs.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. Explain why probability samples are likely to have less sampling error than convenience samples.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.2: Understand the differences between probability and convenience samples

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. The cable sports channel ESPN often presents results of surveys they conduct by posting questions on their website and asking viewers to respond.

Describe two sources of bias that can increase sampling error for these surveys, assuming the population of interest is all individuals who watch ESPN.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.3: Identify sources of bias for a sampling technique

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Hard

6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an Internet sample?

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Using the Internet to Sample

Difficulty Level: Hard

7. Suppose you were conducting a study to evaluate the validity of a new questionnaire. You need 1,000 individuals to complete the new survey of 10 items and a previously validated survey of 15 items. Explain how you would choose your sample for this study and why.

KEY: Learning Objective: 6.1: Compare different ways to sample from a population

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Populations and Samples

Difficulty Level: Hard