Deck 6: Observation

Question 1

In marketing research, observation is the random process of recording the behavioural patterns of people, objects and occurrences as they are witnessed.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Human observation best suits a situation or behaviour that is not easily predictable in advance of the research.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Research studies that use a combination of observation and interviews to study human behaviour are known as ethnographic research.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A distortion of measurement resulting from the cognitive behaviour or actions of the witnessing observer is called contrived bias.

Question 5

In direct observation, because no interaction with the subject occurs, the observer is able to record events objectively.

Question 6

Observation research can provide researchers with an explanation of intended actions.

Question 7

The results of observation studies can provide complementary evidence concerning individuals' true feelings.

Question 8

With the direct observation method, the data consist of records events that are likely to occur.

Question 9

Observation studies are free from response biases relating to social desirability.

Question 10

Respondent error is minimised when the researcher approaches the subject before the survey to ask for consent to be observed.

Question 11

Typically, the longer it takes a decision-maker to choose between two alternatives, the more the two alternatives differ in terms of preference.

Question 12

A pupilometer is a mechanical device used to observe eye movements.

Question 13

Observation requires the researcher to record events as they occur, rather than compile records of past events.

Question 14

In observation research, the observer typically plays an active role in the research process.

Question 15

It is more accurate use a survey to ask shoppers how much time they have spent in a store than it is to use observation.

Question 16

Human observation is most conducive to observing types of behaviour that are routine and repetitive.

Question 17

Physical-trace analysis is useful in situations in which the subject cannot recall events accurately.

Question 18

Contrived observation can lead to a reduction in the frequency of occurrence of certain behaviour patterns.

Question 19

A key limitation of observation is that it can only be used to observe physical behaviour.

Question 20

Observation research can provide researchers with an explanation of why certain behaviours occurred.

Question 21

Neuroscience approaches can be used to measure emotional and cognitive reactions to advertisements.

Question 22

All of the following phenomenon can be observed, except:

A) behavioural intention.
B) physical action.
C) verbal behaviour.
D) expressive behaviour.

Question 23

The accuracy of respondents' memories is a major problem for the researcher conducting a pantry audit.

Question 24

Many types of data can be obtained more accurately through questioning than direct observation.

Question 25

Observations can be a tool for scientific inquiry when there are checks or controls on validity and reliability.

Question 26

Observing the interactions between airline travellers while they wait in a check-in line at an airport is an example of which type of observation?

A) Temporal patterns
B) Expressive behaviour
C) Physical action
D) Spatial relations

Question 27

Observing how close customers stand next to each other in a check-out line is an example of which type of observable phenomena?

A) Spatial relations
B) Expressive behaviour
C) Physical action
D) Physical objects

Question 28

When a researcher records how a shopper browses through the aisles at Coles, it is an example of which type of observable phenomena?

A) Temporal patterns
B) Expressive behaviour
C) Physical action
D) Spatial relations

Question 29

Observation in which the researcher creates an artificial environment in order to test a hypothesis is called constrained observation.

Question 30

A researcher is interested in finding out about people's attitudes towards smoking. Which of the following research methods would be the least useful?

A) Focus group
B) Survey
C) Depth interview
D) Observation

Question 31

Observation studies emphasise the systematic recording of verbal behaviour.

Question 32

Observation becomes a tool for scientific inquiry in all of the following, except when:

A) it serves a formulated research purpose.
B) it is reflecting a set of interesting curiosities.
C) it is subjected to checks or controls on validity and reliability.
D) it is planned and recorded systematically .

Question 33

Human observation is more useful than a mechanical device when recording subjects' physiological reactions.

Question 34

Which of the following statements is true?

A) Observation research is not subject to validity and reliability controls.
B) Only interesting curiosities should be recorded during observation,
C) Observation research can provide an explanation of why a behaviour occurred.
D) Observing behaviour patterns over a period of time can be costly and difficult.

Question 35

A major source of error in observation studies is the interpretation of the meaning of the observation data.

Question 36

Observing customers' facial expressions and time spent while waiting to be served by a bank teller is an example of which type of observable phenomenon?

A) Spatial relations and locations
B) Physical and verbal behaviours
C) Expressive behaviour and temporal patterns
D) Verbal behaviours and temporal patterns

Question 37

Scanner data is ineffective in recording consumer responses to price promotions.

Question 38

When a researcher records a list of purchased items and their brands from a consumer's pantry, it is an example of which type of observable phenomena?

A) Spatial relations and locations
B) Physical objects
C) Pictorial records
D) Temporal patterns

Question 39

Measuring visits to a website can be used to evaluate the message exposure of a brand.

Question 40

Using a stopwatch to determine the average waiting time for a customer at a drive-through McDonald's is an example of which type of observation?

A) Spatial relations
B) Temporal patterns
C) Physical action
D) Physical objects

Question 41

Which of the following devices can be used to measure how a subject reads the content of a website?

A) A pupilometer
B) An eye-tracking monitor
C) A psychogalvanometer
D) A voice pitch analyser

Question 42

When monitoring internet activity, the measure of stickiness can be used to evaluate:

A) message exposure.
B) advertising appeals.
C) co-marketing patterns.
D) site navigation.

Question 43

When monitoring website activity, clicks are used to measure:

A) site exposure.
B) what visitors do on the site.
C) communality with other sites (shared users).
D) the most popular paths to the site.

Question 44

Which of the following statements concerning pantry audit studies is false?

A) The accuracy of respondents' memories is not a problem.
B) The brand in the pantry reflects accurately the brand purchased most often.
C) Respondents' untruthfulness and issues relating to response bias are avoided.
D) It is difficult to gain permission to access consumers' pantries.

Question 45

Which of the following statements about observation research is false?

A) Observation research cannot provide an explanation of why a behaviour occurred.
B) Observation research can provide an explanation of what actions were intended.
C) Observation research designs that might use deception often raise ethical concerns about subjects' right to privacy and right to be informed.
D) Observation research has the most validity when the actual observations are performed unobtrusively.

Question 46

When the manager of a local supermarket shops at a competitor's supermarket to check the prices on a list of food products, it is a type of:

A) indirect observation.
B) contrived observation.
C) content analysis.
D) direct observation.

Question 47

Which of the following devices can be used to measure subjects' emotional reactions to an advertisement?

A) A pupilometer
B) An eye-tracking monitor
C) A psychogalvanometer
D) A voice pitch analyser

Question 48

The most common mechanism for developing new ideas in innovative companies is:

A) social media monitoring.
B) direct observation.
C) traditional market research.
D) projective techniques.

Question 49

When a researcher observes the amount of time spent choosing between different toothpaste brands on a supermarket shelf, what type of observation measure is the researcher using?

A) Physiological reactions
B) Response latency
C) Relative popularity
D) Content analysis

Question 50

When measuring internet activity, which metric can be used to evaluate message exposure?

A) Clicks
B) Path analysis
C) Visits
D) Average time per unique visitor

Question 51

The manager of a retail store wants to investigate the level of service quality and competency provided by his sales staff. Which of the following research methods is most appropriate?

A) Telephone interview
B) Mail survey
C) Internet survey
D) Mystery shopper

Question 52

Which of the following devices used in observation research measures pupil size?

A) Eye-tracking monitor
B) Pupilometer
C) Voice pitch analyser
D) Psychogalvanometer

Question 53

Woolworths is planning to redesign the store layout of their supermarkets to maximise customer flow and the exposure of impulse goods. Which of the following research methods would be most useful to help Woolworths gather the data required for decision-making?

A) Experiment
B) Survey
C) Observation
D) Depth interview

Question 54

When an airline passenger (who is really a researcher) complains loudly about his meal so that he can note the behaviour of the flight attendant, it is an example of which type of observation?

A) Content analysis
B) Indirect
C) Contrived
D) Response latency

Question 55

Suppose that a marketing research company sends observers into the homes of panel study members to record the brands stored in their kitchen pantries. Which type of analysis does this represent?

A) Physical-trace analysis
B) Contrived analysis
C) Response latency analysis
D) Indirect analysis

Question 56

When a researcher counts the percentage of women who have appeared on the cover of Time magazine during the past decade, it is an example of which type of observation?

A) Contrived analysis
B) Mystery analysis
C) Indirect analysis
D) Content analysis

Question 57

Human observation best suits a situation or behaviour that is:

A) programmatic.
B) repetitive.
C) unpredictable.
D) routine.

Question 58

When a researcher pretends to be a customer in the cosmetics section of a department store in order to observe the product knowledge of a salesperson, he or she is employing a type of:

A) mechanical observation.
B) hidden observation.
C) indirect observation.
D) visible observation.

Question 59

When the Australian Football League analyse the television broadcast of the Grand Final to examine how much of the footage is live-action play and how much is replay or crowd shots, what type of method are they using?

A) Direct observation
B) An eye-tracking monitor
C) Visibility observation
D) Content analysis

Question 60

Response latency:

A) is related to the concept of psychological distance between alternatives, as measured by the decision time taken to make a choice between the alternatives.
B) refers to latent error existing in mechanical observation techniques.
C) is a computer-based statistical procedure based on a latency matrix.
D) is a measure of the observer's reaction time in recording the occurred behaviour.

Question 61

When a researcher creates an artificial situation in order to test a hypothesis, it is an example of _________ observation.

Question 62

The time it takes a subject to make a choice between two alternatives is known as ________ _______.

Question 63

A distortion of measurement due to the actions of the witnessing observer is called ________ ____.

Question 64

When monitoring internet activity, ____ analysis is a common method used for finding out about visitors' surfing behaviours.

Question 65

Observation studies emphasise and allow for the systematic recording of _________ behaviour.

Question 66

The mechanical device used to record changes in the diameter of a subject's pupil is called a(n) ___________.

Question 67

Observation that may not require communication with a respondent is known as ___________.

Question 68

_________ _________ cannot be observed.

Question 69

When an observer enters a store and pretends to be interested in a particular product or service, but is actually evaluating the shop assistant's performance, the observer is known as a _______ _______.

Question 70

When investigating the types of appeals used by different perfume brands in Women's Day, _______ analysis is most appropriate.

Question 71

When the presence of an observer is unknown to the subject, it is called ______ observation.

Question 72

The measurement technique that measures emotional reactions as reflected in physiological changes in a person's voice is called a(n) _____ _____ analysis.

Question 73

Which of the following is not a limitation of human observation?

A) Limited amounts of data can be recorded
B) Observer's writing speed
C) Ability to observe unpredictable situations and behaviours
D) Observer may record events subjectively

Question 74

The mechanical device that measures involuntary changes in the electrical resistance of the skin is called a(n) __________________.

Question 75

The systematic process of recording the behaviours of people as they occur is called ___________.

Question 76

When the presence of an observer is known to the subject, it is called _______ observation.

Question 77

_____________ ________ is said to occur when the results of observation studies amplify the results of other forms of research.

Question 78

When monitoring internet activity, measuring users' frequency, recency and time spent at a particular site is known as measuring the site's __________.

Question 79

When measuring internet activity, the metric commonly used to evaluate co-marketing pattern partners is known as ______.

Question 80

When engaging in contrived observation, the possibility of subjects being deceived into difficulty is known as __________.