Question 1

Categorical variables like a subject's gender or ethnicity are known as which type of variable in experimental research?

Accepted Answer

Categorical variables are often used as blocking variables in experimental research to control for potential sources of variation that may be related to the categorical variable. For example, gender may be used as a blocking variable to ensure that an equal number of males and females are assigned to each condition of the experiment, thus controlling for the potential influence of gender on the result.

Question 2

Monica is conducting an experiment where all subjects see all of the ads she is testing.This type of experiment in which an individual subject is exposed to more than one level of an experimental treatment is called:

Accepted Answer

The type of experiment described in the question, where each subject is exposed to multiple levels of the experimental treatment, is known as a repeated measures design. Choice A, between-subjects design, involves different subjects being exposed to different levels of the experimental treatment. Choices C and D are not relevant to this type of experiment.

Question 3

"Does package size affect consumption rates in snack products?" is a typical question in what type of research design?

Accepted Answer

This question is asking about a cause-and-effect relationship between package size and consumption rates, which is typically studied using experimental research. In an experiment, the researchers can manipulate the package size and control for other factors that might affect consumption rates (such as the taste or nutritional content of the snack), in order to determine whether package size has a direct impact on consumption. Descriptive research and time-series research would not be appropriate for this type of question, as they do not involve manipulating variables or establishing cause-and-effect relationships. Phone surveys could be used to collect data on consumption rates and package preferences, but would not provide the experimental control necessary to answer the question of whether package size directly affects consumption rates.

Question 4

The experimental difference in means between the different levels of any single experimental variable is referred to as a(n):

Accepted Answer

The experimental difference in means between the different levels of any single experimental variable is referred to as a main effect. This term describes the impact of a single variable on the outcome of the experiment, independent of any other variables or interactions. Choice A (interaction effect) refers to the combined effect of two or more variables on the outcome, Choice B (primary effect) is not a common term in experimental design, and Choice D (confound) refers to an extraneous variable that may be impacting the results of the experiment.

Question 5

Between-subjects designs involve repeated measures because with each treatment the same subject is measured.

Accepted Answer

This describes a within-subjects design.

Question 6

A maturation effect in an experiment is a function of time and the naturally occurring events that coincide with growth and experience.

Accepted Answer

A maturation effect is considered a real change that occurs over time, as opposed to a result of the manipulation of the independent variable. It is influenced by normal biological and developmental processes that occur naturally during growth and experience.

Question 7

When a test market is conducted in five retail stores in Erie,Pennsylvania,this is an example of a laboratory experiment.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a field experiment.

Question 8

Field experiments tend to have less external validity than laboratory experiments.

Accepted Answer

External validity is increase when the subjects truly represent some population and when the results extend to market segments or other groups of people.

Question 9

Which of the following is the term used to refer to a treatment combination within an experiment?

Accepted Answer

In an experiment, a "cell" refers to a specific treatment combination, often represented in a table or matrix format, where different levels of factors intersect.

Question 10

The group receiving an experimental treatment is called the:

Accepted Answer

The group receiving an experimental treatment is called the experimental group, as they are the ones who are receiving the treatment being tested in the study.

Question 11

Which term refers to an experimental design element that unintentionally provides subjects with hints about the research hypothesis.

Accepted Answer

A demand characteristic is an experimental design element that unintentionally provides subjects with hints about the research hypothesis. This can occur through subtle cues from the experimenter or the experimental setting that influence the behavior of the subjects. The result may be that the subjects change their behavior in a way that is not reflective of their natural behavior, which can compromise the validity of the study.

Question 12

Which of the following means that there is an alternative explanation beyond the experimental variables for any observed differences in the dependent variables?

Accepted Answer

Confound refers to any variable other than the experimental variable that may affect the dependent variable, making it difficult to isolate the effects of the independent variable. This means that there may be an alternative explanation beyond the experimental variables for any observed differences in the dependent variable. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Question 13

A researcher is conducting an experiment in which one group of people is exposed to an advertisement and another group is exposed to another advertisement.He is examining the effect of headline font sizes on consumers' attitude toward the brand advertised.The participants in this experimental research are referred to as:

Accepted Answer

In experimental research, the individuals who participate in the study are referred to as subjects. In this scenario, the researcher is exposing one group to an advertisement and another group to another advertisement. The participants are being manipulated in order to study the impact of the headline font sizes on their attitude toward the advertised brand. Therefore, the best choice is D, subjects.

Question 14

All of the following are experimental design issues EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Manipulation of the dependent variable is not an experimental design issue as the dependent variable is the outcome measure that is being observed and measured, not manipulated. The other options, selection and assignment of subjects to treatments, control over extraneous variables, and manipulation of the independent variable, are all key experimental design issues.

Question 15

Which of the following occurs if the sampling units in an experimental cell are somehow different than the units in another cell,and this difference affects the dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

The given scenario describes a systematic error as the differences in sampling units are affecting the dependent variable. Nonsampling error refers to errors that are not related to sampling, such as errors in measurement or data entry. Sampling error occurs when the sample is not representative of the entire population. Experimenter bias occurs when the experimenter's expectations or preferences influence the results, and subject bias occurs when the participants' expectations or beliefs influence their behavior or responses. None of these options describe the given scenario as accurately as systematic error.

Question 16

If the level of advertising expenditures is compared to the number of units sold at the end of a four-month period,the independent variable is ____ while the dependent variable is ____.

Accepted Answer

The level of advertising expenditures is the independent variable as it is being manipulated or controlled by the company, while the number of units sold is the dependent variable as it is being affected by the independent variable.

Question 17

Which of the following are possible test units in a marketing research study?

Accepted Answer

All of the above are possible test units in a marketing research study. People can be surveyed or observed, sales territories can be compared for performance, and retail stores can be used for in-store testing or observation.

Question 18

The question as to whether the experimental treatment was the "sole cause" of the changes in the dependent variable is the basic issue in external validity.

Accepted Answer

This is the basic issue in internal validity.

Question 19

Which of the following is a way for a researcher to equally distribute the effects of extraneous variables to all conditions in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

Randomization is a method to equally distribute the effects of extraneous variables to all conditions in an experiment by randomly assigning participants to different conditions. This helps to reduce the bias and increase the internal validity of the experiment. Confounding, split sampling, and repeated measures are other techniques used in experimental design but do not specifically address the issue of equal distribution of extraneous variables.

Question 20

Experimental results that show that consumers purchased more when a store had a blue color with bright lights than they did when a store was orange with bright lights but no difference when the lighting was low is an example of which type of effect?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of an interaction effect because the effectiveness of the color of the store depended on the level of lighting. There was no significant difference when the lighting was low, so color alone did not have a main effect. There is no evidence of a confound or synergistic effect in this scenario.

Quiz 11: Experimental Research: An Overview