Research Methods in Psychology

Answer the following questions:

1. What are the risks involved in using nonprobability sampling? Which of the nonprobability sampling designs described in your text is the most representative and why?

2. Describe (in your own words) the classical experimental design. List and explain the importance of each of the three major pairs of components. What happens if you do not do these three major things?

3. Why is a low response rate of concern in survey research? Why is response bias a concern? Which is a more serious threat to survey results and generalization—low response rates or response bias—and why?

4. You are asked by the principle of a local high school to do a survey of the student body about what improvements can be made at the school. The principal believes it is sufficient to stop students on their way to the library and hand out the questionnaire. You argue for a probability sample instead. State your argument, giving at least two reasons why probability sampling is preferred in this instance.

5. Compare and contrast the three basic strategies for making the subjects in the experimental and control groups as similar as possible. Which strategy is best and why?