Question 1

If the goal of the researcher is to make valid generalizations to a larger population of interest,then,the researcher is concerned with internal validity.

Accepted Answer

The researcher is concerned with external validity when aiming to make valid generalizations to a larger population of interest. External validity refers to the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations and to other people. Internal validity, on the other hand, refers to the extent to which a study can demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship between variables within the study itself.

Question 2

Test units are individuals,organizations,or other entities whose response to independent variables or treatments is being studied.

Accepted Answer

This is a correct definition of test units. Test units can be any entities such as people, animals, plants, organizations, or even products that researchers examine to understand the effects of independent variables or treatments.

Question 3

With experimental designs,it is possible to control for some of the other causal factors.

Accepted Answer

Experimental designs typically involve manipulating or controlling one or more variables while holding others constant, which allows researchers to establish cause-and-effect relationships between the manipulated variables and the outcomes of interest. This is referred to as "controlling for confounding variables" and is a key advantage of experimental research over other research methods.

Question 4

Independent variables are variables or alternatives that are manipulated and whose effects are measured and compared.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Independent variables are manipulated in a study or experiment to determine their effect on the dependent variable. The results are then measured and compared to determine if there is a significant difference between the groups being compared.

Question 5

The conditions of concomitant variation,time order of occurrence of variables and elimination of other possible causal factors,are necessary but not sufficient to demonstrate causality.

Accepted Answer

While these conditions are necessary for demonstrating causality, other factors such as chance, bias, and confounding variables should also be considered in establishing causality. Therefore, these conditions are necessary but not sufficient on their own.

Question 6

Evidence of concomitant variation,time order of occurrence of variables,and elimination of other possible causal factors,when combined,demonstrate conclusively that a causal relationship exists.

Accepted Answer

While evidence of concomitant variation, time order of occurrence of variables, and elimination of other possible causal factors strongly suggest a causal relationship, they do not conclusively demonstrate it due to the potential for unobserved variables or complexities in the system.

Question 7

History (H)refers to the occurrence of events before the experiment.

Accepted Answer

History (H) in experimental research refers to specific events occurring between the first and second measurements in addition to the experimental variable, which might affect the outcome of the experiment, not to the occurrence of events before the experiment.

Question 8

The longer the time interval between observations,the greater the possibility that history will confound an experiment.

Accepted Answer

When there is a longer time interval between observations, there is more opportunity for confounding variables to come into play and affect the results of the experiment. This is because there may be changes or events occurring outside of the experimental conditions that could impact the results, making it more difficult to isolate the effect of the independent variable.

Question 9

Extraneous variables are also called confounding variables because unless they are controlled for,they affect the independent variable and thus confound the results.

Accepted Answer

Extraneous variables are called confounding variables because they affect the dependent variable, not the independent variable, and can confound the results by providing alternative explanations for the observed effects.

Question 10

There is no problem developing experimental designs that have high levels of both internal and external validity.

Accepted Answer

It is difficult to achieve high levels of both internal and external validity because there are often trade-offs between the two. Designs that prioritize internal validity may sacrifice external validity, and vice versa.

Question 11

Independent variables are the variables that measure the effect of the dependent variables on the test units.

Accepted Answer

Independent variables are the variables that are manipulated or controlled by the researcher to measure their effect on the dependent variable. Dependent variables are the variables that are being measured or observed as the outcome of the independent variable.

Question 12

Causality refers to when the occurrence of X definitely causes the occurrence of Y.

Accepted Answer

Causality refers to the relationship between cause and effect, where the occurrence of X causes Y, but it does not imply that X definitely causes Y in all contexts, as there can be other factors involved.

Question 13

Concomitant variation is the extent to which a cause,X,and an effect,Y,occur together or vary together in the way predicted by the hypothesis under consideration.

Accepted Answer

This is the correct definition of concomitant variation.

Question 14

Extraneous variables are all variables other than the independent variables that affect the response of the test units.

Accepted Answer

Extraneous variables are defined as all variables that are not the independent variable(s) and can potentially affect the outcome of the experiment. These variables can include environmental factors, participant characteristics, or experimenter bias, among others.

Question 15

Price levels,package designs,and advertising themes are examples of independent variables manipulated by the researcher.

Accepted Answer

These are all examples of independent variables that research can control and manipulate in order to observe their effects on dependent variables.

Question 16

An experiment is formed when the researcher manipulates one or more dependent variables and measures their effect on one or more independent variables,while controlling for the effect of extraneous variables.

Accepted Answer

In an experiment, the researcher manipulates one or more independent variables and measures their effect on one or more dependent variables, while controlling for the effect of extraneous variables.

Question 17

The everyday meaning of causality is more appropriate to marketing research than is the scientific meaning.

Accepted Answer

The scientific meaning of causality, which requires establishing a cause-and-effect relationship through rigorous testing and control of variables, is more appropriate to marketing research to ensure accurate and reliable results.

Question 18

In an after-the-fact examination of a situation,we can confidently rule out all other causal factors.

Accepted Answer

In an after-the-fact examination of a situation, it is often difficult to confidently rule out all other causal factors as there may be multiple factors that contributed to the outcome.

Question 19

To control for extraneous variables,a researcher may conduct an experiment in an artificial environment.This enhances external validity,but it may limit the generalizability of the results,thereby reducing internal validity.

Accepted Answer

Conducting an experiment in an artificial environment typically enhances internal validity by allowing the researcher to control for extraneous variables, but it may limit external validity due to concerns about generalizability to real-world settings.

Question 20

Evidence pertaining to concomitant variation can only be obtained in a qualitative manner.

Accepted Answer

Concomitant variation refers to the observation that two variables tend to vary together in a systematic way. Concomitant variation can be studied both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative methods include correlation analysis, while qualitative methods include observation and interviews to identify patterns of association between variables.

Quiz 7: Causal Research Design: Experimentation