Suppose an anthropologist studies several villages in southern India. For each village they have data on the number of people and the average age of men and women, and have computed an index of the monetary value of various consumer goods in the village (e.g., the value of the total number of refrigerators, televisions, and air conditioners divided by the size of the population). An analysis of these data reveals that the villages with populations having the lowest average age also have the highest average dollar value of modern consumer goods (Bernard, 1994).
a. What is the unit of analysis in this study?
b. Can the anthropologist conclude from this association that young people purchase more modern consumer goods than older people? Why or why not?

Question

Suppose an anthropologist studies several villages in southern India. For each village they have data on the number of people and the average age of men and women, and have computed an index of the monetary value of various consumer goods in the village (e.g., the value of the total number of refrigerators, televisions, and air conditioners divided by the size of the population). An analysis of these data reveals that the villages with populations having the lowest average age also have the highest average dollar value of modern consumer goods (Bernard, 1994).
a. What is the unit of analysis in this study? 
b. Can the anthropologist conclude from this association that young people purchase more modern consumer goods than older people? Why or why not?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer of Suppose an anthropologist studies several villages in southern India. For each village they have data on the number of people and the average age of men and women, and have computed an index of the monetary value of various consumer goods in the village (e.g., the value of the total number of refrigerators, televisions, and air conditioners divided by the size of the population). An analysis of these data reveals that the villages with populations having the lowest average age also have the highest average dollar value of modern consumer goods (Bernard, 1994).
a. What is the unit of analysis in this study? 
b. Can the anthropologist conclude from this association that young people purchase more modern consumer goods than older people? Why or why not?

Suppose an Anthropologist Studies Several Villages in Southern India