Key Terms

Availability Bias: A cognitive bias that causes people to overestimate the likelihood of events that are readily available in their memory, often due to recent or vivid experiences.

Causal Research: A research design aimed at identifying cause-and-effect relationships between variables.

Construct: An unobservable concept that is measured by a group of related variables.

Control Variable: Variables that researchers do not allow to vary freely with the independent variable and must remain constant.

Curbstoning: A unethical practice in marketing research where interviewers falsify data rather than collect it authentically.

Decoy Effect: A phenomenon in pricing where the introduction of a third, less attractive option influences consumers to choose a more expensive target option.

Dependent Variable: The outcome or effect in a research study that is believed to be affected by the independent variable.

Descriptive Hypothesis: A possible answer to a specific research question

Descriptive Research: A research design aimed at describing market characteristics, demographics, and consumer behaviors.

Exploratory Research: A research design aimed at discovering new ideas, insights, and understanding the nature of a problem.

External Validity: The extent to which the findings of a study can be generalized to other contexts.

Extraneous Variable: Variables that are not measured or controlled in a study but may impact the dependent variable.

Focus Group: A qualitative research method that involves a small group discussion led by a moderator to gather insights and feedback.

Frugging: An unethical practice of disguising a sales attempt as a marketing research activity.

Hypothesis: A testable, yet unproven statement developed to explain phenomena.

Independent Variable: The variable that a researcher manipulates or changes to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

In-Depth Interview (IDI): A qualitative research method that involves one-on-one discussions with participants to gain detailed insights and opinions.

Internal Validity: The extent to which a research study can establish cause-and-effect relationships without being affected by other possible explanations.

Literature Review: A comprehensive examination of existing published information related to a specific research topic.

Marketing Research: The process of obtaining quality information for making informed marketing decisions.

Null Hypothesis: A statistical hypothesis that is tested for possible rejection and assumes there is no effect or relationship.

Primary Data: Data collected specifically for the current research problem or opportunity.

Qualitative Research: Exploratory research that uses non-numeric data to gain a deeper understanding of opinions and motivations.

Quantitative Research: Research that uses numerical data and statistical analysis to quantify and test relationships between variables.

Secondary Data: Data previously collected for some other problem or issue, used for current research.

Sugging: An unethical practice of disguising a sales attempt as a marketing research activity.

Variable: An observable item or characteristic that can vary and be measured in a study.