Chapter 4

An interactive procedure in which the researcher and moderator discuss the subjects' responses to the topics that outlined a focus group session is called

debriefing or debrief analysis

______ _______ involves systematic observation and recording of behavioral trends of objects, people, events, and other phenomena.

Observational research

What ultimately determines whether online or face-to-face focus groups are the most relevant to use for a focus group study?

The objective of the focus group

Match the major types of research designs (in the left column) with their objectives (in the right column). 1. Exploratory research 2. Descriptive research 3. Causal research

1. To find ideas and insights to better comprehend the problem 2. To gather information that helps answer research questions 3. To examine cause-and-effect relationships among market variables that are specifically defined

Match the characteristics of observation methods used in research (in the left column) with their definitions (in the right column). 1. directness 2. awareness 3. structure 4. observing mechanism

1. It refers to the degree to which a trained observer or researcher actually observes the event or behavior as it occurs. 2. It refers to the degree to which people consciously know their behavior is being observed and recorded. 3. It refers to the degree to which the activities, behavior, or events to be observed are known to the researcher before doing the observations. 4. It refers to how the activities, behavior, or events are observed and recorded.

Match the characteristics of observation methods used in research (in the left column) with their descriptions (in the right column). 1. Awareness 2. Observing mechanism

1. Observation can be disguised or undisguised. 2. Observation can be done using technological devices or human observers.

Which of the following is selected so that various target group members, such as low-income and high-income consumers, are included or to compare groups?

A stratified purposive sample

Which of the following are true of qualitative research? (Check all that apply.)

It is used to explore more deeply into areas that quantitative research may be too superficial to access. It is used to obtain preliminary insights into research problems.

Identify a true statement about in-depth interviewing.

An interviewer asks probing questions to elicit more comprehensive information on a topic.

Jenny, a researcher, focuses on only a few people for her research. She conducts in-depth research on them by tracking their thoughts using multiple interviews conducted over several weeks. Which data collection method is Jenny using?

Case study research

What are the major types of research designs? (Check all that apply.)

Causal Exploratory Descriptive

What are the roles of a focus group moderator? (Check all that apply.)

He or she must be able to activate and manage the direction of the group members' discussions over predetermined topics. He or she must be able to ask the right questions. He or she is responsible for generating positive group dynamics.

Identify the true statements about projective techniques. (Check all that apply.)

Interpretation is very complex in projective techniques. Projective techniques were developed by clinical psychologists and can be used in conjunction with focus groups and in-depth interviews.

Identify the true statements about qualitative research. (Check all that apply.)

It helps researchers and clients get closer to their existing and potential customers than does quantitative research. In most cases, data are gathered in relatively short periods of time.

Identify the true statements about focus group research. (Check all that apply.)

It is the most widely used qualitative research method in marketing. It is rooted in the behavioral sciences.

______ ________ are an indirect method of questioning that enables a participant to project beliefs and feelings onto a third party, into a task situation, or onto an inanimate object.

Projective techniques

Which of the following involves choosing sample members because they possess specific characteristics?

Purposive sampling

Which of the following is a benefit of observation methods?

They allow collection of actual activities or behavior rather than reported activities.

Identify a true statement about focus groups.

They are managed by a qualified moderator through a semistructured discussion.

Identify the true statements about quantitative research methods.

They are most often used with descriptive and causal research designs. Research problems are precise and well defined. They are often statistically projectible to the target population of interest.

Identify a feature of devices used for technology-mediated observation.

They decrease the cost of data collection.

Identify the benefits of observation methods. (Check all that apply.)

They enable data collection at a low cost and in relatively less time than other types of procedures. They reduce interviewer errors, recall error, and response bias.

Identify an advantage of using focus group interviews.

They promote understanding of why consumers behave or act in certain market situations.

What are the advantages of focus group interviews? (Check all that apply.)

They stimulate new thoughts, feelings, and ideas about a topic. Hard-to-reach informants are brought together in focus group interviews. They bring out wide-ranging participant responses. They allow the participation of clients.

True or false: Observation methods require an observable behavior or event and a system of recording it.

True

True or false: The fundamental idea behind the focus group approach is that one individual's response will set off comments from other participants, thus creating synergy among group members.

True

An exploratory research technique that comprehensively investigates one or several existing situations that are similar to the current problem/opportunity situation is called ______.

case study

After conducting a focus group session, Jacob, a researcher, compares notes with Melissa, the moderator of the session, to discuss the responses of the participants to the session's topics. This procedure is called ______.

debriefing analysis

A(n) _________ ________ _________ is a person who is well trained in the interpersonal communication skills and professional manners required for a focus group.

focus group moderator

A qualitative data collection method in which responses to open-ended questions are collected from a small group of participants who interactively and spontaneously discuss topics of interest to the researcher is called

focus group research

In the planning phase of a focus group study, researchers must ______.

have a distinct understanding of the objective of the study, a definition of the problem, and particular data requirements

A data-collection method in which a well-trained interviewer asks a participant a set of semistructured questions in a face-to-face setting is called a(n) _____.

in-depth interview

An ethnographic research technique that involves comprehensive observation of behavior in natural settings in order to completely experience cultural or subcultural contexts is called

participant observation

Research that involves the collection of data in the form of text or images using open-ended questions, observation, or "found" data is known as

qualitative research

Research that places heavy emphasis on using formal standard questions and predetermined response options in questionnaires or surveys administered to large numbers of respondents is known as

quantitative research

Collection of data using mechanical devices to capture human behavior, events, or marketing phenomena is called ______.

technology-mediated observation

Jill is conducting a study on the decision-making skills of middle managers of an organization. For this purpose, her initial focus group included middle managers of that organization. During her study, she found out that many decisions are influenced by lower level managers. She then decided to create a focus group with lower level managers, who were not initially considered for that study. In this scenario, Jill is using ______ to collect data.

theoretical sampling

Selecting sample members based on earlier interviews that indicate that specific types of participants will assist researchers better understand a research topic is called ______.

theoretical sampling

True or false: When selecting and recruiting participants for a focus group, researchers should ensure that the participants typify the general makeup of the target population.

true

A true statement about qualitative researchers is that they Blank______.

try to understand research participants instead of fitting their answers into set categories

A projective technique in which a participant is given a list of terms or short phrases, one at a time, and requested to respond with the first thought that comes to mind is called ______.

word association test

Rachel, a researcher, is using projective techniques to collect qualitative data. She gives the subjects a list of terms: tree, river, house, knife, garden, and keys. She asks them to respond with the first thought that comes to their minds. Rachel is using ______ to collect data.

word association tests