Evaluate the Following Generalization(s), Identifying Sample, Population, Attribute of Interest

question 141

Essay

Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, what's important is that the sample be representative.
SUSANVILLE-Fewer than 20 percent of college professors consider themselves shy, according to a new study by two psychologists. "We were surprised by this result because other studies have reported that almost 50 percent of adult Americans think of themselves as shy," said Elliot Smalley, professor at Colusa State University. "College professors are sometimes thought to be an introverted lot, and so we expected perhaps a majority to think of themselves as shy," he said.
Smalley and his associate, John Mahmoud, interviewed 150 college professors who were identified by administrators at twenty-five American universities as typical faculty. The universities were selected by a random procedure from a list of American colleges and universities, Smalley said.

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Definitions:

Constitutional Convention

A formal assembly of delegates with the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution or laws.

Producer Groups

Producer groups are associations or collectives of manufacturers, farmers, or businesses working in the same industry that advocate for their common economic interests, influence policy, and provide mutual support.

Collective Action Problem

A situation where individuals in a group have difficulty achieving a common goal because their best personal outcome does not align with the collective best.

Pluralist Theory

A political theory suggesting that power is distributed among many groups in a society, including interest groups, ensuring that no single entity has complete control.