Question

Classify each of the following as an example of (a) naturalistic observation, (b) laboratory observation, (c) case study, (d) survey, or (e) correlation.

a. A professor compared his students' attendance rates to their grades. She found that students with fewer absences tended to get

    higher grades.

b. Psychologists studying aggression in early childhood found that an average of four instances of hitting or pushing occurred

    during each hour that they spent watching a group of two-year-olds interact in a day-care classroom.

c. A telephone poll found that 37% of respondents had a favorable opinion of "Sparkle" toothpaste.

d. A hidden camera recorded the behavior of male and female research participants who were asked to wait for a long period of

    time in a room in which a researcher had placed a stack of pornographic magazines.

e. A psychologist who was interested in job satisfaction gathered in-depth, detailed information about organizations whose

    workers reported being highly satisfied with their jobs.

3. Why does correlation fail to prove causation?

Answer 1

1. a. This is an example of correlation. A relationship between two variables (attendance and grades) is being established here.

b. This is an example of naturalistic observation. Here, the researchers observed a behavior (aggression) in a natural setting (day care classrooms).

c. This is an example of survey. This is because data was collected from a large number of people by asking them certain questions.

d. This is an example of laboratory observation. This is because here, the behavior was observed in a laboratory and not in a natural setting.

e. This is a case study. A case may be an individual, group or an organization. The organization here is the case. In depth information is being collected about it.