Chapter 5; Descriptive, Predictive, and Causal Research Designs

Descriptive Survey Research

• Qualitative

• Quantitative

Qualitative Research

Research can be said to be descriptive on account of its vivid and detailed descriptions.

• Characteristics and visuals

Quantitative research

Is descriptive by using numbers and statistics to summarize demographics, attitudes, and behaviors.

Descriptives

= mean, standard deviation, median, etc.

Sampling Errors

The difference between the findings based on the sample and the true values for a population.

• Caused by the method of sampling used and the size of the sample.

  • Can be reduced by:

    • Increasing Sample size

    • Using appropriate sampling method

Respondent Errors

Consist of both nonresponse error and response error

Nonresponse error

A systematic bias that occurs when the final sample differs from the planned sample.

• Because a sufficient number of sample respondents refuse to participate or cannot be reached.

Response Error

When respondents have impaired memory or do not respond accurately.

Nonsampling Errors

Key characteristics:

1. They create “systematic variation” (bias) in data

2. They are controllable

3. Cannot be directly measured (unlike random sampling error)

4. One nonsampling error can create others.

End result → reduction of the quality of data

Types of Survey Research Methods

1. Person-administered

2. Telephone-administered

3. Self-administered

Person Administered Survey

In home interview or mall-intercept interview.

• An interview takes place in the respondent’s home or within the respondent’s work environment.

  • Ex: Shopping patrons are stopped and asked for feedback during their visit to a shopping mall

Telephone Administered Survey

An interview takes place over the phone. Interviews may be conducted from a central telephone location or the interviewer’s home.

• Wireless phone surveys: Phones are used to collect data. The surveys may be text or web based.

• Computer assisted interview

Self Administered Survey

Diff Types:

• Mail survey: Questionnaires are distributed to and returned from respondents via the postal service or overnight delivery

• Online surveys

• Mail panel survey

• Drop-off survey

Things to consider when selecting the appropriate survey

• Situational characteristics

• Task Characteristics

• Respondent Characteristics

Situational Characteristics

• Budget

• Completion time frame

• Quality requirements

  • Completeness of data

  • Data generalizability

  • Data precision

Data generalizability

Projectable to the population represented by the sample in a study.

Task Characteristics

• Task difficulty

• Required stimuli

• Amount of information asked from respondents

• Topic Sensitivity

Topic sensitivity

The degree to which a survey question leads the respondent to give a socially acceptable response

Respondent Characteristics

• Diversity

• Incidence rate

• Respondent participation

  • Ability to participate

  • Willingness to participate

  • Knowledge level

Incidence rate

The percentage of the general population that is the subject of the market research

Ability to participate

The ability of both the interviewer and the respondent to get together in a question and answer interchange.

Willingness to participate

The respondent’s inclination or disposition to share his or her thoughts.

Knowledge level

Degree to which the selected respondents feel they have knowledge of or experience with the survey’s topics.

Causal research

Studies that enable researchers to assess “cause-effect” relationships between two or more variables.

Independent variables

Variables whose values are directly manipulated or changed by the researchers.

Dependent variables

Measures the effects or outcomes that occur as a result of changes in levels of the independent or causing variables.

Correlation vs. Causation

Correlation does NOT equal causation.

Experiment

An empirical investigation that tests for hypothesized relationships between dependent variables and manipulated independent variables.

• Experimental designs collect data using both survey and observation.

The biggest challenges in experiments

Controlling other influences

Control Variables

Do not vary freely or systematically with independent variables.

• Should not change as the independent variable is manipulated.

Extraneous variables

Any variables that experimental researchers do not measure or control that may affect the dependent variable.

Validity

The extent to which the conclusions drawn from an experiment are true.

• Internal validity

• External validity

Internal validity

Extent to which the research design accurately identifies causal relationships.

External validity

Extent to which a causal relationship found in a study can be expected to be true for the entire target population.

Lab experiments

Causal research designs that are conducted in an artificial setting.

• Ex: Testing rats or whatever

Field experiments

Causal research designs that manipulate the independent variables in order to measure the dependent variable in a natural setting.

• Performed in natural or “real” settings.

Test marketing

Using controlled field experiments to gain information on specified market performance indicators.

Ethics in Experiments

• Milgram studies

• Standford prison experiment