Social Psychology

Chapter 2: Asking and answering research questions

Research Activity: The importance of replication

Imagine you have a theory that people in middle-class neighborhoods do not approve of rubbish being thrown out into the street. Ask five of your neighbors to answer a short questionnaire about their attitudes towards throwing rubbish onto the street. Ask three friends from class to do the same 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months later (consecutively) in their own neighborhoods. Compare your results to see if they all support your theory.

This exercise demonstrates the importance of the replication of research findings across various populations, times, and settings (SP pp. 44–45).

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In this chapter

1. Chapter 2 introduction
2. Research questions and the role of theory
3. Testing theories: From theory to research
4. The role of ethics and values in research
5. Chapter overview (PDF)
6. Fill-in-the-blanks
7. Multiple-choice questions