Although the criminals in the movie are caught and

Although the criminals in the movie are caught and punished, city officials are
dismayed to discover that similar acts of violence increase across the city shortly after
the movie opens. A reporter decides to compare crime rates before and after the
movie’s release to determine if the movie has stimulated teen violence.
Would this conclusion be derived from a correlational study or experiment? Why?
_Correlational, because _naturally after seeing the movie about teen violence against
senior citizen’s crime rate grew in the exact same category.
Methods of Research:
Possible ½ pts. per question. Read each of the following statements carefully and decide
if it is a(n):
 Case study
 Experiment
 Correlational study

 Survey
 Naturalistic observation
Also, give a brief explanation of why you chose that method.
1. A young girl has her right hemisphere removed at age 3 to control seizures. Her
prognosis is monitored over the course of her childhood and adolescence.
Method: Case Study
Why? __In depth study of one person, over a time period_
2. A health psychologist is interested in finding out if humor is related to a person’s
ability to tolerate stress. To do this, he studies a group of stand-up comedians and
a group of factory workers. He measures their stress levels and looks to see if
there is a difference between the two groups.
Method: Experiment
Why?__You have an experimental and a control group with an operational
independent and dependent variable._
3. Do prisoners in a maximum-security prison show more hostility towards the
correctional officers who are strict and highly authoritarian, or towards the ones
who are more democratic and authoritative?
4. Which is more effective at alleviating the symptoms of generalized anxiety
disorder: antianxiety medication alone, desensitization therapy alone, or a
combination of medication and the therapy?

5. A social psychologist wants to know if, in general, people believe that a
panhandler with a sign asking for money is truly homeless.
Method:___Survey__
Why?___Asking others for their opinion on an issue at hand.