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.
2. Attitudes cannot be directly observed but can be inferred from other measures.
3. “Conversation volume” is a measure of the amount of Internet postings that involve a specific name or
term.
4. Researchers can observe people or events with human observers or with machines.
5. Mechanical observation best suits a situation or behavior that is not easily predictable in advance of
the research.
6. Hidden, unobtrusive observation maximizes respondent error.
7. The results of observational studies can provide complementary evidence, along with other measures,
for a respondent’s “true” feelings.
8. Response latency is the amount of time it takes to make a choice between two alternatives.
9. In a phenomenological approach, the researcher does not interact with those he or she is observing.
10. Direct observation is a straightforward attempt to observe and record what naturally occurs.
11. In observation studies, it is normally not necessary to ask a person who is being observed to state his
or her gender, since that characteristic can be observed.
12. Since the observer does not interact with the subject in observation studies, observation is an error-free
method of data collection.
13. In observation research, a distortion of measurement resulting from the cognitive behavior or actions
of the witnessing observer is called selectivity bias.
14. Interpretation of observations data can be a source of error.
15. When the investigator intervenes to create an artificial environment to test a hypothesis, the
investigator is engaging in artificial observation.
16. Hidden observation studies must be alert to situations in which the subject’s right to privacy must be
protected.
17. Some might see contrived observation as unethical based on the notion of entrapment.
18. Television monitoring is a form of computerized mechanical observation.
19. MRI allows one to measure what portions of the brain are active at a given time.
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.
21. One measure for monitoring Web site traffic is click-through rate (CTR).
22. The most refined measure of Web site traffic is click-through rate (CTR).
23. Scanner data can be used to monitor supermarket sales in response to a local newspaper ad promotion.
24. Pupilometers measure unconscious eye movement and are useful for determining which components
of an ad (or other stimuli) were seen and which were overlooked.
25. Physiological observation techniques, such as pupilometers, psychogalvanometers, and voice-pitch
analysis, precisely measure levels of arousal.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Clara is a market researcher who records shoppers’ movement through a grocery store. What method
of research is Clara using?
a.
survey
b.
assessment
c.
immersion
d.
observation
2. All of the following are directly observable phenomena EXCEPT ____.
a.
attitudes
b.
verbal behavior
c.
spatial relations and locations
d.
neurological activity
3. Observing a person’s television viewing habits is an example of which type of observation?
a.
verbal records
b.
expressive behavior
c.
physical actions
d.
physical objects
4. Observing traffic patterns at a busy intersection with cameras is an example of what type of
observation?
a.
spatial relations and locations
b.
verbal records
c.
verbal behavior
d.
expressive behavior
5. It is possible to directly observe ____.
a.
intentions
b.
attitudes
c.
expressive behavior
d.
inner emotions
6. Observing the movement of a shopper in a supermarket is an example of what type of observation?
a.
mall interception
b.
verbal behavior
c.
physical actions
d.
expressive behavior
7. Observing the comments made by travelers waiting in a check-in line at the American Airlines ticket
counter in Chicago is an example of what type of observation?
a.
pictorial records
b.
verbal behavior
c.
expressive behavior
d.
spatial relations
8. Measuring the distance visitors stand from a painting in a Van Gogh exhibit at the St. Louis Art
Museum is an example of what type of observation?
a.
verbal behavior
b.
temporal patterns
c.
expressive behavior
d.
spatial relations
9. Using a stopwatch to determine how long customers wait at a drive-through location at McDonald’s is
an example of what type of observation?
a.
verbal behavior
b.
temporal pattern
c.
physical action
d.
physical objects
10. Having observers record the brand names of items found in the kitchen pantries of consumer panel
members involves the observation of ____.
a.
physical actions
b.
verbal behavior
c.
physical objects
d.
pictorial records
11. When the subject is unaware of being observed in a shopping mall, the observation is said to be ____.
a.
contrived
b.
indirect
c.
participatory
d.
unobtrusive
12. If the observer or the mechanical device used to record is obvious to subjects, the observation is said to
be ____.
a.
obtrusive
b.
visible
c.
primary
d.
first-order
13. All of the following are examples of nonverbal behavior EXCEPT ____.
a.
smiling
b.
nodding
c.
raised eyebrows
d.
talking
14. John is measuring the amount of time it takes for people to make a choice between two options
regarding what to select for lunch to infer the strength of their preferences for one alternative over the
other. John is measuring response ____.
a.
lag
b.
interval
c.
latency
d.
bias
15. The manager of a shopping mall records the counties listed on the license plates on cars parked at the
mall in order to determine where the shoppers come from. This is an example of ____ observation.
a.
direct
b.
indirect
c.
contrived
d.
mechanical
16. An airline passenger who is really an employee of the airline complains loudly about not being served
a vegetarian meal so that he can note the responses of the flight attendant. This is an example of ____
observation.
a.
content
b.
indirect
c.
contrived
d.
response
17. All of the following are errors associated with direct observation EXCEPT ____.
a.
subjectivity
b.
entrapment
c.
accuracy
d.
interpretation
18. When the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry measures the popularity of its children’s exhibits
by the frequency of tile replacement in front of exhibits, it is using what type of observation?
a.
content analysis
b.
response latency analysis
c.
physical-trace analysis
d.
contrived analysis
19. _____ are things that people made and consumed within a culture that signal something meaningful
about the behavior taking place at the time of consumption.
a.
Trace elements
b.
Artifacts
c.
Inventories
d.
Physiological responses
20. Which type of analysis obtains data by observing and analyzing what is written and shown in
advertisements, newspaper articles, blogs, and the like?
a.
contrived analysis
b.
content analysis
c.
indirect analysis
d.
response latency analysis
21. When a researcher analyzes commercials appearing during Saturday morning cartoons, the researcher
is engaging in ____.
a.
contrived analysis
b.
content analysis
c.
indirect analysis
d.
entrapment
22. When a researcher counts the number of African Americans who have appeared on the cover of
Newsweek during the past decade, the researcher is engaging in ____.
a.
contrived analysis
b.
ethnic analysis
c.
indirect analysis
d.
content analysis
23. When Walgreen’s uses cables across the road as “traffic counters” to determine the density of traffic
near a possible retail store location, what type of observation is being used?
a.
contrived observation
b.
mechanical observation
c.
human observation
d.
content analysis
24. Which measure represents the percentage of people who are exposed to an Internet advertisement and
actually click on the corresponding hyperlink that takes them to a company’s Web site?
a.
conversion transaction rate (CTR)
b.
page views
c.
cost per click (CPC)
d.
click-through rate (CTR)
25. Using click-through rate as a measure of the amount of interest or attention a Web site is receiving can
have disadvantages. Which of the following is NOT a flaw of this method?
a.
It measures clicks rather than unique visitors
b.
It likely makes some hits by mistake.
c.
It does not always convey the meaning behind the number of clicks.
d.
It does not adequately measure the number of times an ad is clicked on.
26. A researcher gave Juanita a bar-coded card that she gives to the checkout clerk at the grocery store.
The code number is linked to purchase information recorded by the scanner. Juanita is participating in
a(n) ____.
a.
scanner-based consumer panel
b.
obtrusive observation study
c.
phenomenological study
d.
ethnographic study
27. Which statement about scanner data is FALSE, as compared to standard mail diary panel data?
a.
Scanner data measures (actual) purchase behavior rather than reported behavior.
b.
Scanner data measures are considered to be extremely obtrusive.
c.
Scanner data collects more extensive purchase data.
d.
Scanner data are collected mechanically, resulting in improved accuracy.
28. All of the following measure physiological reactions EXCEPT ____.
a.
eye-tracking monitors
b.
pupilometers
c.
at-home scanning systems
d.
voce-pitch analysis
29. A Web site designer is interested in how people look at a Web site. Specifically, she would like to
know where they look first when a page comes up. Which mechanical device would be appropriate for
determining?
a.
pupilometer
b.
MRI
c.
eye-tracking monitor
d.
psychogalvanometer
30. Which device measures involuntary changes in the electrical resistance of the skin?
a.
eye-tracking monitor
b.
psychogalvanometer
c.
pupilometer
d.
voice-pitch analysis
COMPLETION
1. The systematic process of recording the behaviors of people as they occur is called
____________________.
2. When the presence of an observer is known to the subject, the observation is said to be
____________________.
3. When a subject is unaware that he is being observed, the observation is said to be
____________________.
4. Observation that involves watching and recording what naturally occurs, without creating an artificial
situation, is called ____________________ observation.
5. The time it takes a subject to make a choice between the appeal of two advertisements is a type of
____________________.
6. The distortion of measurement resulting from the cognitive behavior or actions of a witnessing
observer is referred to as ____________________ bias.
7. When a researcher creates an artificial situation in order to observe the reactions of a subject in that
type of situation, the researcher is engaging in ____________________ observation.
8. The systematic study of the words used in a magazine ad is an example of ____________________.
9. A(n) ____________________ is the percentage of people who are exposed to an Internet
advertisement who actually click on the corresponding hyperlink which takes them to the company’s
Web site.
10. A consumer uses a special ID card whenever he purchases items from the supermarket, allowing
purchase behavior to be linked to household demographics. The consumer is participating in a(n)
____________________ panel.
11. Nielson Media Research estimates national television audiences using ____________________.
12. A mechanical device can identify where a subject looks during television commercials is called a(n)
____________________ monitor.
13. A mechanical device that is used to record changes in the diameter of a pupil in a subject is called a(n)
____________________.
14. A mechanical device that measures the electrical resistance of the skin is called a(n)
____________________.
15. A relatively new physiological measurement technique that gauges emotional reactions as reflected in
physiological changes in a person’s voice is ____________________ analysis.
ESSAY
1. Discuss the role of observation as a marketing research method and list the types of observable
phenomena, giving an example of each.
2. Compare and contrast direct observation and contrived observation.
3. Discuss the ethical issues particular to research using observation. What should a researcher consider
when collecting observational data?
4. Explain the observation of physical objects and message content.
5. Name and define the techniques for measuring physiological reactions.