To identify the most popular exhibits at a science museum, visitors were asked every day for six weeks to rate how much they enjoyed each exhibit. The data were analyzed to look for age and sex differences in exhibit preferences. This was an example of
A) naturalistic observation.
B) survey research.
C) case study research.
D) experimental research.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is survey research because visitors were directly asked to rate how much they enjoyed each exhibit. There was no manipulation of variables, control group, or random assignment, which are all essential components of experimental research. The study also did not focus on a single individual or a small group, which is characteristic of case study research. It was not naturalistic observation since visitors were being asked to provide feedback rather than just being observed.

To Identify the Most Popular Exhibits at a Science Museum