Stage 2 Data Collection Design | Chapter 7 | Full Test Bank

Business Research Methods, 13e (Schindler)

Chapter 7 Stage 2: Data Collection Design: Observation Research

1) When observation employs standardized procedures, trained observers, schedules for recording, and other devices that reflect the scientific procedures of other primary data methods, it is said to be a(n) ________ observation.

A) simple

B) systematic

C) organized

D) structured

E) semistructured

2) Observation means to collect data by ________.

A) viewing

B) listening

C) touching

D) smelling

E) All of the above are correct.

3) Which of the following is a condition in which observation is an appropriate method for data collection?

A) Anonymity is desired.

B) Participants are widely dispersed.

C) Attitudinal information is needed.

D) Natural setting is imperative.

E) Extensive amount of information is needed.

4) Observation is an appropriate method for data collection in all of the following conditions except ________.

A) the purpose must be disguised

B) a natural setting is necessary

C) when anonymity is desired

D) when memory decay is a factor

E) when behavioral data is needed

5) Jason is developing a research design for a study of wine drinkers. The target population is widely dispersed. Jason needs to collect data on past consumption behavior and intentions for future behavior. Which type of data collection method is most appropriate for Jason's project?

A) Communication

B) Observation

C) Monitoring

D) Experimental

E) Causal

6) Scott's Lawn Care has hired Visionary Insights to find out whether home improvement warehouse stores communicate the benefits of various brands of lawn care products differently than smaller stores. Visionary Insights needs to know what is communicated to consumers in the actual settings of the stores and wants to ensure that the message is not filtered. Only behavioral data is required. Which type of data collection method is most appropriate in this situation?

A) Communication

B) Observation

C) Surveys

D) Experimental

E) Causal

7) Which of the following is not a type of behavioral observation?

A) Nonverbal behavior

B) Linguistic behavior

C) Activity observation

D) Extralinguistic behavior

E) Spatial behavior

8) The recording of physical actions or movements of participants is called ________ observation.

A) nonverbal

B) spatial

C) verbal

D) extralinguistic

E) nonbehavioral

9) The most prevalent category of observation study is ________ observation.

A) linguistic

B) extralinguistic

C) spatial

D) nonverbal

E) digital

10) Nonverbal observation can be performed by ________ and ________.

A) people; machines

B) psychologists; psychiatrists

C) video; audio

D) sociologists; anthropologists

E) physical condition analysis; process analysis

11) Nonverbal observation includes the recording of ________.

A) temporal style

B) linguistics

C) proxemics

D) kinesics

E) motor expressions

12) All of the following are reasons why researchers use machines to record behaviors except ________.

A) the human eye cannot record behavior that happens rapidly

B) humans cannot record and observe simultaneously

C) machines can be disguised easily

D) the design may require more than one person to be observed simultaneously

E) trained human observers are expensive

13) Which of the following is true of the video camera and audio recorder as mechanical devices for the recording of behaviors?

A) They cannot be used in natural settings.

B) They can generate descriptions of behaviors, but not counts or frequencies of behaviors.

C) They can record nonbehavioral observations.

D) They are used extensively in retail customer tracking studies.

E) They are inferior to studies involving extralinguistic analysis.

14) A lie detector is actually a(n) ________ that measures electrical activity in the participant's skin.

A) galvanomic response machine

B) video camera

C) eye camera

D) pupilometer

E) people meter

15) The observation of human verbal behavior during conversation, presentation, or interaction is known as ________ observation.

A) nonverbal

B) linguistic

C) extralinguistic

D) spatial

E) temporal

16) When a reporter interviews guests on her talk show, she tends to interrupt their answers. Which dimension of extralinguistic activity is reflected in her behavior?

A) Vocal

B) Temporal

C) Interaction

D) Verbal stylistic

E) Spatial

17) In one episode of a television show, two characters make fun of each other's pronunciation peculiarities and characteristic expressions. Character A overenunciates his words. Character B makes fun of others by asking a question like "Could you BE anymore annoying?" Which dimension of extralinguistic activity is being addressed in this example?

A) vocal

B) Temporal

C) Interaction

D) Verbal stylistic

E) Spatial

18) The recording of how humans physically relate to one another is called ________ observation.

A) nonverbal

B) linguistic

C) spatial

D) mechanical/digital

E) temporal

19) Proxemics is one form of ________ observation.

A) nonverbal

B) linguistic

C) spatial

D) mechanical/ digital

E) temporal

20) The study of how people organize the territory around them and maintain discrete distances between themselves and others is known as ________.

A) extralinguistics

B) feng shui

C) kinesics

D) proxemics

E) physical condition observation

21) All of the following are advantages of observation as a data collection method except ________.

A) optimizing the naturalness of the setting

B) reducing obtrusiveness

C) avoiding participant filtering

D) quantifying data

E) securing contextual information

22) Recording the radio station presets on cars brought into car repair shops is an example of ________.

A) linguistic observation

B) physical traces

C) nonverbal behavior

D) spatial behavior

E) temporal behavior

23) Which of the following is a limitation of observation as a data collection method?

A) Avoidance of participant filtering and forgetting

B) Use of a natural setting

C) Securing physical, trace evidence

D) Required time and expense

E) Ability to disguise or conceal observation equipment

24) Which of the following questions cannot be answered using the observational method?

A) What

B) Where

C) Who

D) How

E) Why

25) The most reliable form of observation is ________ observation based on overt action or surface indicators.

A) inferential

B) factual

C) spatial

D) structured

E) trace

26) Visionary Insights is observing shoppers in a retail store. The observers record surface events like smiling behavior by customers and conclude that smiling behavior is reflective of satisfaction with the shopping event. This is an example of ________ observation.

A) inferential

B) factual

C) spatial

D) structured

E) trace

27) Which of the following attributes can be identified using factual observation?

A) Salesperson credibility

B) Customer interest

C) Number of customer objections

D) Salesperson enthusiasm

E) Attitude toward the brand

28) Which of the following attributes must be identified using inferential observation?

A) Selling points presented

B) Length of sales meeting

C) Time and day of week

D) Salesperson credibility

E) Customer purchase decision

29) The measurement instrument for recording data in an observation study is called a(n) ________.

A) screener

B) observation checklist

C) moderator's guide

D) interview guide

E) pupilometer

30) ________ observation occurs when the observer is physically present and personally monitors and records the behavior of the participant.

A) Indirect

B) Direct

C) Concealed

D) Disguised

E) Spatial

31) Observers may be physically involved in the participant's social setting and interact with the participant. This form of observation is known as ________ observation.

A) concealment

B) deceptive

C) participant

D) structured

E) direct

32) Observation checklists should have all of the following characteristics except ________.

A) precisely defined categories of behaviors

B) mutually exclusive categories

C) exhaustive categories

D) conditions for observation

E) open-ended questions

33) The use of videotaping, mirrored windows, and props are most feasible in ________ studies.

A) structured observation

B) unstructured observation

C) natural

D) laboratory

E) field

34) Maria is conducting research to better understand how consumers respond to the atmosphere and environment in restaurants. She visits several restaurant locations and observes characteristics of the environment and all of the behaviors of the patrons. Which classification best fits Maria's observation study?

A) Unstructured/natural

B) Unstructured/laboratory

C) Structured/natural

D) Structured/laboratory

E) Direct/participant

35) Maria is conducting research to better understand how consumers respond to the atmospherics and environmental cues in restaurants. She develops three different "restaurants" to represent the restaurant environments that should be evaluated. Participants are invited to dinner in one of these three restaurants, and their behaviors are videotaped. Which classification best fits Maria's observation study?

A) Unstructured/natural

B) Unstructured/laboratory

C) Structured/natural

D) Structured/laboratory

E) Direct/participant

36) Jason is conducting research to better understand how consumers respond to the atmosphere and environment in restaurants. He visits several restaurant locations and uses a checklist to record specific behaviors he observes in each restaurant. Which classification best fits Jason's observation study?

A) Unstructured/natural

B) Unstructured/laboratory

C) Structured/natural

D) Structured/laboratory

E) Direct/participant

37) Which of the following qualifications is desirable for individuals working as observers in observation studies?

A) Concentration

B) Unobtrusive

C) Experienced

D) Detail-oriented

E) All of the above are correct.

38) A condition called the ________ creates errors when prior observations influence perceptions of current observations.

A) observer drift

B) groupthink

C) devil's advocate

D) halo effect

E) self-serving bias

39) Jane took on a second-shift as an observer in the observation study of restaurant patrons. As she becomes fatigued, ________ is more likely to occur.

A) observer drift

B) groupthink

C) devil's advocate

D) halo effect

E) self-serving bias

40) Which term below refers to the error caused by decay in consistency and accuracy of recorded observations by humans over time?

A) Observer drift

B) Groupthink

C) Devil's advocate

D) Halo effect

E) Self-serving bias

41) The ability for an observer to extract the most from an observation study is most associated with the observer's level or degree of ________.

A) concentration

B) detail-orientation

C) experience

D) distinctiveness

E) enthusiasm

42) The ability for an observer to remember the key aspects of an experience is most associated with the observer's level or degree of ________.

A) concentration

B) detail-orientation

C) experience

D) distinctiveness

E) enthusiasm

43) The ability for an observer to function in a setting with many distractions is most associated with the observer's level or degree of ________.

A) concentration

B) detail-orientation

C) experience

D) distinctiveness

E) enthusiasm

44) The occurrence of errors caused by a halo effect can sometimes be minimized by choosing observers with a low level of ________.

A) concentration

B) detail-orientation

C) experience

D) distinctiveness

E) enthusiasm

45) What type of sampling is used when certain behavioral acts or conditions are recorded that answer the investigative questions?

A) Time sampling

B) Quota sampling

C) Convenience sampling

D) Event sampling

E) Snowball sampling

46) Ebony will observe the behaviors of customers in a chain of jewelry stores. Before beginning the observation studies, Ebony decides to observe behaviors in the stores on Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and on Saturdays between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. This selection of time points to observe and record behavior is known as ________.

A) time sampling

B) quota sampling

C) convenience sampling

D) event sampling

E) snowball sampling

47) The error that occurs when participants alter their true behavior due to the presence of the observer is known as ________.

A) observer drift

B) halo effect

C) social desirability responding

D) self-serving bias

E) reactivity response

48) At the close of business on Black Friday, Macy's store employees examined product displays throughout the store looking for disrupted displays and displays that remained undisturbed. The information is used to determine what items to put on sale early in the holiday shopping season. This is an example of using ________.

A) nonverbal observation

B) physical condition analysis

C) activity analysis

D) record analysis

E) data mining

49) The use of ________ is illustrated by the frequency of replacement of carpet in front of museum exhibits as an indicator of exhibit popularity.

A) process analysis

B) data mining

C) erosion measures

D) record analysis

E) accretion measures

50) An interesting application of ________ compared self-reported beer consumption with the amount of discarded beer containers in the trash.

A) process analysis

B) data mining

C) erosion measures

D) record analysis

E) accretion measures

51) Erosion measures and accretion measures are both types of ________.

A) process analysis

B) data mining

C) reactive measures

D) record analysis

E) unobtrusive measures

52) In an attempt to discover issues related to a suspected increase in employee theft in a warehouse, a research design proposed using hidden video cameras for one week. The proposed research recommended ________.

A) direct observation

B) indirect observation

C) time sampling

D) record analysis

E) indirect observation and time sampling

53) During a Macy's mystery shopping experience, the researcher was asked to enact a scenario as a very dissatisfied shopper demanding to see the manager. This is an example of ________.

A) indirect observation

B) participant observation

C) proxemics

D) verbal observation

E) None of the above is correct.

54) A factory was experiencing a disproportionately large number of defects coming from a particular machine and chose to research the problem by dismantling the equipment to evaluate measures of wear on its various parts. This is an example of ________.

A) direct observation

B) linguistic behavior

C) physical traces

D) verbal observation

E) None of the above is correct.

55) A restaurant was evaluating the popularity of its various menu items in preparation for introducing seasonal menu alternatives by studying patron orders over the last four months. It wanted to be sure it was preserving its most popular items. This is an example of ________.

A) indirect observation

B) linguistic behavior

C) record analysis

D) physical traces

E) process (activity) analysis

56) Nonstandardized, exploratory observation practices are known as ________.

A) indirect observation

B) systematic observation

C) simple observation

D) nonverbal observation

E) None of the above is correct.

57) After an outbreak of Escherichia coli in area restaurants, a restaurant manager wanted to ensure that an outbreak was unlikely to happen in her restaurant. She installed a camera to record food handling at each work station, then reviewed the footage to compare the practices against accepted health department guidelines. This is an example of ________.

A) direct observation

B) simple observation

C) record analysis

D) process (activity) analysis

E) None of the above is correct.

58) An analysis of past sales data shows that the average household purchases a new vacuum cleaner approximately every seven years. The extraction of this type of information is known as ________.

A) process analysis

B) data mining

C) obtrusive measures

D) record analysis

E) trace evidence

59) The study of the use of space is called ________.

A) kinesics

B) proxemics

C) methodology

D) linguistics

E) feng shui

60) In order to deal with a large volume of information, we focus only on what is relevant and fail to see that which is inconsequential to us. This is called ________.

A) halo effect

B) reactivity effect

C) selective filtering

D) observational drift

E) concealment

61) If a participant changes their behavior because they notice they are being observed, this is called a(n) ________.

A) halo effect

B) reactivity effect

C) selective filtering

D) observational drift

E) memory decay

62) Samantha positioned herself near a display that partially hides her presence while recording how people handled their groceries in the self-checkout line. Her decision relates to ________ in observation research.

A) indirect observation

B) concealment

C) structured observation

D) observational drift

E) proxemics

63) If a researcher chooses an observation research design rather than a communication research design due to concerns about participants forgetting with the passage of time, the researcher is concerned about ________.

A) halo effect

B) reactivity effect

C) selective filtering

D) observational drift

E) memory decay

64) One major difference between simple observation and systematic observation is the rigor of the procedures used for data collection and sample design.

65) To test a hypothesis, you would conduct an unstructured observation in a field (natural) setting.

66) If a participant is being monitored during an observation study in a retail store by a hidden camera mounted in the ceiling, this is an example of ________.

A) full concealment

B) direct observation

C) partial concealment

D) indirect observation

E) reactivity response

67) The halo effect in observation is cause by an observer spending long hours without a break.

68) Full concealment as part of the design of an observation study can violate the ________.

A) participant's right of full disclosure

B) participant's right of privacy

C) sponsor's right of quality research

D) sponsor's right of findings non-disclosure

E) None of the above is correct.

69) Research designs are classified as communication or observation by the approach used to gather primary data. Identify five conditions under which observation is an appropriate method for data collection.

70) What are the four dimensions of extralinguistic activity that can be observed? Explain the behaviors common to each dimension.

71) Discuss the strengths and limitations of observation as a data collection method.

72) What characteristics are important to consider when selecting individuals to work as observers in an observation research study?