What problems regarding culture and diversity beset research in the social and behavioral sciences? Why do these problems occur? Why are the problems less troublesome in the physical and natural sciences?
What will be an ideal response?
a. Because much social and behavioral research involves student populations and because students as a whole constitute a relatively homogeneous population, the diversity among research participants is typically very limited.
b. It takes extra time, effort, money, etc. to recruit participants who are not students or who form a diverse group; researchers often do not have the resources for studying participants who are not readily available.
c. Some researchers believe that we need to study at least three different cultures in order to be able to find out what behaviors reliably emerge and in what circumstances. With every additional component of research, it becomes more difficult to conduct.
d. Researchers may not be adequately trained to study behaviors in cultures other than their own, so their interpretations of data and of the behaviors themselves may be biased toward their own cultural perspective.
e. Because social scientists study behaviors, which are affected by culture and society, we have to account for differences across those we study. Scientists in the physical sciences do not have such problems, so they can use the same methodologies without any problems. Researchers in the natural sciences sometimes need to consider diversity if they study behaviors or characteristics across species of plants or animals.
You might also like to view...
Opposition-controlled congresses write longer laws on average because they ______.
A. try to anticipate efforts by an unsympathetic administration to suborn or redirect policy B. are more likely to be in conflict C. use these longer bills to "go public" and undermine public support for the President D. are ever diligent against efforts to dissolve Congress and call for new elections
"Hate crimes" legislation _____
a. was not passed in Texas due to substantial opposition b. applies to first-degree and capital murder cases c. increased penalties for crimes motivated by hostility to race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation d. was rejected because the law would be punishing the thought behind the crime rather than the crime itself e. none of these
Cummings and Wise argue that the technology of the nuclear age and the growth of government in a modern industrial society have combined to concentrate such great power in the office of the president that there are no longer any effective institutional checks on that power
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
The "invisible college" refers to
A) research reports that have gone unnoticed. B) the informal communication that takes place between research colleagues. C) the fact that the disadvantaged and handicapped can now get a college education. D) advanced placement science courses in high school.