Pennsylvania State University MKTG _414229-QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS

Chapter 8—Observation


TRUE/FALSE

1. It is typical in observation studies for the observer to ask questions of the person who is being
observed.

ANS: F
No questioning or communication with people is needed in observation.

PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 190 OBJ: 08-1
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

2. Attitudes can be observed.

ANS: F
The observation method takes into account a wide variety of behavior, but researchers cannot directly
observe cognitive phenomena such as attitudes, motivations, and preferences.

PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 191 OBJ: 08-1
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

3. One limitation of observation as a research method is that the observation period is generally short.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 191
OBJ: 08-1
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

4. Researchers can observe people or events with human observers or with machines.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: p. 191
OBJ: 08-1
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

5. Mechanical observation best suits a situation or behavior that is not easily predictable in advance of
the research.

ANS: F
Human observation is better suited for these types of situations or behaviors.

PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 191 OBJ: 08-1
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

6. Hidden, unobtrusive observation minimizes respondent error.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 192
OBJ: 08-1
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

7. Observation allows for the interpretation of nonverbal behavior to supplement information from
interviewers.

, ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: p. 194
OBJ: 08-1
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

8. Response interval is the amount of time it takes to make a choice between two alternatives.

ANS: F
This is called response latency.

PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 194 OBJ: 08-1
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

9. In a phenomenological approach, the researcher does not interact with those he or she is observing.

ANS: F
In a phenomenological approach, the researcher is often very much within the research situation.

PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 194 OBJ: 08-2
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

10. Direct observation is a straightforward attempt to observe and record what naturally occurs.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: p. 194
OBJ: 08-2
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

11. In some instances, observation is the only method possible for collecting data.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 195
OBJ: 08-2
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

12. Since the observer does not interact with the subject in observation studies, observation is an error-free
method of data collection.

ANS: F
There are several errors associated with observation: subjectivity, observer bias, accuracy, and
interpretation.

PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 194 OBJ: 08-2
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

13. In observation research, a distortion of measurement resulting from the cognitive behavior or actions
of the witnessing observer is called selectivity bias.

ANS: F
This is referred to as observer bias.

PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 194 OBJ: 08-2
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

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

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: p. 196

, OBJ: 08-2
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

15. When the investigator intervenes to create an artificial environment to test a hypothesis, this approach
is called contrived observation.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 196
OBJ: 08-2
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

16. Hidden observation studies must be alert to situations in which the subject's right to privacy must be
protected.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 197
OBJ: 08-3
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

17. Some might see contrived observation as unethical based on the notion of entrapment.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate REF: p. 198
OBJ: 08-3
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

18. Researchers may observe physical phenomena as well as human behavior.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: p. 198
OBJ: 08-4
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Comprehension

19. A beer bottle left at a sporting event is an example of an artifact.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Hard REF: p. 199
OBJ: 08-4
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

20. A study of the recording of a Monday Night Football Game in the National Football League in which
the observer counts the number of shots of cheerleaders on the sidelines is an example of camera
surveillance.

ANS: F
This is an example of content analysis.

PTS: 1 DIF: Hard REF: p. 200 OBJ: 08-4
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Application

21. Arbitron is the research company that estimates national television audiences.

ANS: F
Nielsen Media Research estimates national television audiences.

PTS: 1 DIF: Hard REF: p. 200 OBJ: 08-5
NAT: AACSB Reflective Thinking| CB&E Model Research| Blooms Knowledge

22. The most refined measure of Web site traffic is click-through rate (CTR).