Ninth Edition CoverGraziano & Raulin
Research Methods (9th edition)

Chapter 6 Exercises
Field Research
Naturalistic and Case-Study Research

The following exercises are designed to give you hands-on practice of the skills learned in this chapter.

  1. Develop five examples of hypothetical research conclusions in which the ex post facto fallacy occurs.

  2. Devise an outline of a research plan that studies human responses to repeated failure. Use low-constraint observational procedures to study your participants: the members of the worst football team in your college's conference. Carefully consider the impact of every decision you might make about procedures on what you would likely observe and the conclusion you would likely draw.

  3. Suppose that you are to conduct naturalistic observations on the following. For each one identify: 
    (i)   the most probable variables that you will include in the study;
    (ii)    the nature of the constraints that you might place on the observer.
    For example, consider the naturalistic observation of children’s aggressive behavior in school playgrounds. The observer might be constrained in the specific behavior to be observed, such as observing only acts of physical aggression, or in the manner in which data are recorded, such as video recording, and by limits placed on the observer’s direct interactions with the children. As you think of these constraints, be sure you understand the reasons why you would apply them.
    Naturalistic Observation of:
    (a) Male and female drivers at intersections with stop signs 
    (b) Nest-building behavior of the Eastern Bluebird
    (c) The rates and quality of verbal responses by children in class at different times of the day
    (d) Leader and follower behavior in committee meetings
    (e) Adolescents’ behavior in shopping malls
    (f)  The rate of verbal reinforcement given by teachers

  4. In naturalistic research, the important relationships among variables that are observed are contingencies. For each of the studies in the preceding exercise (drivers, nest-building, etc.) identify what contingencies we might expect to find. For example, we might find that coming to a full stop at a stop sign is more probable when the car is first in line at the intersection. That is a contingency--when first in line, the probability of stopping is increased. 

  5. Define archival research. Write down six or more questions for which you, as a researcher, might employ archival research procedures. For each one, identify some constraints that you might employ. For example: One might use archival research to gather information from school records about learning disabilities in people with a criminal record compared with those who do not have a criminal record.

  6. For each of the following research areas, assume that you will perform some of the ground-breaking research. Because there is no prior research in the area to draw on, you will need to utilize the flexible naturalistic and case-study approaches to identify critical variables, formulate initial hypotheses, and so on. Develop an initial research plan to accomplish these goals.
    (a) Some people are concerned about the possible effects of televised wrestling on viewers and on society in general. How would you begin to study such an issue?
    (b) Studies have shown that seat belts dramatically reduce the risk of injury or death in the event of an accident. In spite of this, many people continue to avoid the use of seat belts. The issue of concern to you is how one might increase seat belt use among average drivers.
    (c) Many naturalists and others are concerned about the welfare of animals in the natural environment because of increasing incursions of human activity. Most people seem to be little concerned with the fate of wildlife or with the effects of hunting, habitat destruction, environmental pollution, and so on. You are to develop ways to sensitize people to greater concern for wildlife and greater efforts to reduce human incursions. What research would you develop toward these goals?
    (d) Shoplifting costs retail businesses and consumers billions of dollars annually. You have been hired by a national retail consortium to study shoplifting and make recommendations toward control of this problem. How would you begin such a study?