Refining Existing Research Questions

Examples of Relationship Research Questions

After the frequency or intensity of a single variable is well-established in the scientific literature, how do researchers typically generate new relationship research questions?

Researchers can generate new questions about a well-established variable by examining its relationship with other variables. Match each strategy for generating these relationship research questions with the corresponding psychological example.

A researcher is interested in the well-established finding that 'multitasking' during lectures is common among college students. Arrange the following steps in the correct order to show how the researcher would generate a new relationship research question by brainstorming a potential cause of this behavior.

A researcher who expands on the known frequency of 'test anxiety' by investigating whether it is more common among student-athletes than among non-athletes is generating a relationship research question by brainstorming the potential effects of that anxiety.

Imagine you are a researcher designing a study to expand upon the well-established finding that 'The average adult reports feeling stressed $4$ times per week'. To generate a new relationship research question, you decide to synthesize two strategies: identifying a 'specific population' and brainstorming a 'potential cause' for variations in stress. Which of the following questions represents the successful construction of this research question?

When researchers generate relationship research questions based on a single variable whose frequency or intensity is already established in the scientific literature, they are limited to brainstorming the potential effects of that variable and cannot investigate its potential causes.

A psychologist evaluates a research proposal that aims to measure the average frequency of 'sleep deprivation' among high school students. The psychologist critiques the plan by arguing that because this frequency is already well-documented, the researcher must judge which potential causes, effects, or situational factors would provide the most scientific value if investigated next. By deciding to examine how 'sleep deprivation' connects to these other variables, the researcher is transitioning to the generation of a(n) _____ research question.

A researcher wants to study the well-established variable of academic procrastination. Match each proposed research study with the corresponding strategy for generating relationship research questions.

A researcher reviews the literature and finds that the average level of smartphone addiction among teenagers is already well-established. To generate a new research question, the researcher proposes to compare smartphone addiction levels between urban teenagers and rural teenagers. In analyzing this research design, the researcher is generating a relationship research question by identifying specific _____ that might exhibit different levels of the characteristic.

A research team wants to transition their research program on 'employee burnout' from single-variable descriptive research to relationship-based research. Order the steps they should take to evaluate the literature and generate valid relationship research questions.

According to the literature, when the frequency or intensity of a single variable is already established, what general approach should researchers take to generate new research questions, and what are the three specific strategies or considerations they can use to do so?

Identify which of the three strategies for generating relationship research questions (brainstorming causes/effects, identifying specific populations, or considering situations that elicit variations) is represented by each of the research group's three proposed questions, and explain your reasoning.

A literature review shows that the average level of test anxiety among high school students is well-established. Apply the strategy of 'considering situations that could elicit variations in behavior' to write a specific relationship research question that builds on this finding.