Chapter 6

50. Any study that is conducted using an observational technique or unstructured questioning can be classified as qualitative research, which is becoming increasingly unpopular in a number of research situations

FALSE

57. A "mystery shopper" who is hired by a retail store chain to record and report on sales clerks' assistance and courtesy uses overt observation.

FALSE

60. Observation is not typically used when the possibility of faulty recall rules out collecting information by asking the subject.

FALSE

63. Only when feelings are relatively important or are not inferred from the behavior is it appropriate to use observational research methods.

FALSE

77. A limitation of ethnographic research is that respondents are overly aware of their own habitual or conscious behaviors as they interact with products and services.

FALSE

82. The disadvantages of marketing research online communities are that they are relatively expensive and cannot be assembled quickly.

FALSE

83. Marketing research online communities allow unique perspectives of consumers' lives by providing live examples of how social influences work and allowing researchers a greater understanding of community dynamics.

FALSE

72. Ethnographic research is a term borrowed from archaeology to describe a detailed, descriptive study of a group and its behavior, characteristics, culture, and so on.

FALSE Ethnographic research, an approach borrowed from anthropology, is defined as a d

61. People cannot recall accurately how many times they looked at their wristwatch while waiting in a long line to buy a ticket to a best-selling movie or which brands of cookies they looked at while grocery shopping. This is an example of public behavior observation.

FALSE Faulty recall occurs when actions or activities are so repetitive or automatic that the observed person cannot recall specifics about the behavior under question.

67. It is generally believed that the best focus groups are composed of participants who share heterogeneous characteristics.

FALSE It is generally believed that the best focus groups are composed of participants who share *homogeneous* characteristics.

69. The selection of focus group participants is determined largely by the purpose of the focus group and how many participants the research firm can recruit.

FALSE It is generally believed that the best focus groups are composed of participants who share homogeneous characteristics. This requirement is sometimes automatically satisfied by the researcher's need to have particular types of people in the focus group.

75. Mobile ethnography can be especially useful for documenting public behavior, such as waking up in the morning or administrating medical treatments.

FALSE Mobile ethnography can be especially useful for documenting *private* behavior, such as waking up in the morning or administrating medical treatments.

90. Neuroimaging, or viewing brain activity, may aid marketing researchers to better understand consumers' unconscious as well as conscious emotions.

FALSE Neuroimaging, or viewing brain activity, may aid marketing researchers to better understand consumers' unconscious emotions ONLY

49. The primary advantage of quantitative research is that it allows researchers to gather deeper, richer information from respondents.

FALSE

47. Quantitative research uses undetermined structured questions with undetermined structured response options. It is also normally characterized by undetermined samples sizes.

FALSE

48. The type of research characterized by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do or say is qualitative research.

FALSE

51. Often marketing researchers find that a large-scale survey is inappropriate and, instead, use a "soft approach" to the research.

TRUE

52. The majority of marketing researchers have adopted mixed methods research, also known as pluralistic or hybrid research.

TRUE

54. There are four general ways of making observations: (1) direct versus indirect, (2) overt versus covert, (3) structured versus unstructured, and (4) in situ versus invented.

TRUE

55. Direct observation has been used by General Mills to understand how children eat breakfast, leading to the launch of Go-Gurt, a midmorning snack for schoolchildren.

TRUE

56. Types of indirect observations include archives and physical traces.

TRUE

58. Structured versus unstructured observation refers to the degree to which the phenomena to be observed are predetermined

TRUE

59. Midas improved its service quality by having customers make videos of themselves as they made car service appointments. This is an example of using in situ observation.

TRUE

66. The traditional size of a focus group is about 6 to 12 people.

TRUE

91. Types of neuromarketing include neuroimaging, eye tracking, and facial coding.

TRUE

65. The focus group report lists most of the themes that became apparent during the research, notes any diversity of opinions or thoughts expressed by the participants, and contains abbreviated excerpts provided as evidence.

FALSE The focus group report reflects the qualitative aspect of this research method. It lists all themes that have become apparent, and it notes any diversity of opinions or thoughts expressed by the participants. It will also have numerous *verbatim excerpts* provided as evidence. In fact, some reports include complete transcripts or video recordings of the focus group discussion

62. The advantage of seeing what consumers actually do instead of relying on their self-report of what they think they do is a characteristic of observational research.

TRUE

64. Focus groups represent a useful technique for gathering information from a limited sample of respondents.

TRUE

68. The rule is to hold as many focus groups as it takes to reach a saturation point in terms of gaining new information.

TRUE

74. Mobile ethnography is sometimes called mobile qualitative, or simply mobile qual.

TRUE

43. ________ involves the study of an individual's involuntary responses to marketing stimuli, including eye movement, heart rate, skin conductance, breathing, brain activity (using functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI]), and brain waves (electroencephalography [EEG]). a. Neuromarketing b. Neuroscience c. Cerebromarketing d. Stimulus marketing

a. Neuromarketing

8. Techniques in which phenomena of interest involving people, objects, and/or activities are systematically observed and documented is: a. Observational research. b. Behavioral research. c. Mixed methods research. d. Product research.

a. Observational research.

2. The purpose of ________ research is specific and is used when the manager and researcher have agreed on the precise information that is needed. a. Qualitative b. Quantitative c. Strategic d. tactical

b. Quantitative

32. ________ is the name for the ethnographic study of online activities. a. Onlineography b. Mobileorgraphy c. Netnography d. Digitalography

c. Netnography

87. Socially undesirable behaviors such as smoking or road rage, illegal practices such as betting on football games, or sensitive behavior such as using deodorant or dieting would not be appropriate topics for projective techniques.

FALSE Projective techniques involve situations in which participants are placed in (projected into) simulated activities in the hopes that they will divulge things about themselves that they might not reveal under direct questioning.

84. The objective of protocol analysis is to obtain unrestricted comments or opinions and to ask questions that will help the marketing researcher better understand the various dimensions of these opinions as well as the reasons for them.

FALSE Protocol analysis involves placing a person in a decision-making situation and asking him or her to verbalize everything he or she considers when making a decision. This special-purpose qualitative research technique has been developed to peek into the consumer's decision-making processes.

53. Armed with the knowledge that one research method builds on another, the researcher's design and execution of the qualitative phase are invariably superior to what they might have been without the quantitative phase.

FALSE The qualitative phase can serve as a foundation for the quantitative phase of the research project because it provides the researcher with firsthand knowledge of the research problem. Armed with this knowledge, the researcher's design and execution of the *quantitative phase are invariably superior to what they might have been without the qualitative phase.*

70. Focus group results are qualitative and not perfectly representative of the general population.

TRUE

71. Focus groups are a unique research method because they permit marketing managers to see and hear the market.

TRUE

76. The advantage of mobile ethnography is that it can uncover authentic behavior and feelings that a researcher might miss, with respondents viewed as the experts of their own lives.

TRUE

79. Online panels are groups of respondents that are brought together online to interact, provide opinions and ideas, and complete tasks.

TRUE

80. Online communities are particularly effective for gaining insights from Millennials, since these consumers are the most avid users of social media.

TRUE

81. Participants in marketing research online communities are selected according to their demographics or interests.

TRUE

85. Protocol analysis is a special-purpose qualitative research technique that has been developed to peek into the consumer's decision-making processes.

TRUE

86. Projective techniques are appropriate in situations in which the researcher is convinced that respondents will be unable or unwilling to relate their true opinions.

TRUE

88. Neuromarketing is the study of an individual's involuntary responses to marketing stimuli, including eye movement, heart rate, and skin conductance, breathing, and brain activity.

TRUE

92. Wearable technology, such as Google Glass and Apple Watch, may add to the credibility of neuromarketing by measuring consumers' responses to marketing stimuli under more natural conditions.

TRUE

73. Ethnography uses several different types of research, including immersion, participant observation, and informal and ongoing in-depth interviewing.

TRUE Ethnography is particularly effective for studying trends, personal habits, lifestyle factors, and the effect of social and cultural context on consumption behavior. Ethnography uses several different types of research, including immersion, participant observation, and informal and ongoing in-depth interviewing. Ethnographers pay close attention to words, metaphors, symbols, and stories people use to explain their lives and communicate with one another

78. Netnography is used to examine the online interactions of individuals and communities on the Internet, as well as the relationships between people and electronics.

TRUE Netnography is the name for the ethnographic study of online activities. Coined by Robert Kozinets, netnography is used to examine the online interactions of individuals and communities on the Internet, as well as the relationships between people and electronics.42 Netnography can be applied to the study of user-generated content on social media

89. The notion behind neuromarketing research is that psychological reactions cannot be consciously controlled, so they possibly reveal reactions that the individual is unaware of or unwilling to divulge.

TRUE The notion behind neuromarketing research is that physiological reactions cannot be consciously controlled, so they possibly reveal reactions that the individual is unaware of or unwilling to divulge

12. A major retailer uses shoppers to observe and record sales clerks' assistance, courtesy, and efficiency. This is an example of what type of observational research? a. Covert observational research b. Structured observational research c. Invented observational research d. Direct observational research

a. Covert observational research With covert observation, the subject is unaware that he or she is being observed. An example is a "mystery shopper" who is hired by a retail store chain to record and report on sales clerks' assistance and courtesy. One-way mirrors and hidden cameras are a few of the other ways used to prevent subjects from becoming aware that they are being observed. The aim of this approach is to observe typical behaviors; if the subjects were aware they were being watched, they might change their behavior, resulting in observations of atypical behavior.

39. With a sentence-completion test, respondents are given incomplete sentences and asked to complete them in their own words. This is used as part of what type of qualitative technique? a. Projective techniques b. Protocol analyses c. Focus groups d. In-depth interviews

a. Projective techniques Five common projective techniques are used by marketers: 1. the word-association test *2. the sentence completion test* 3. the picture test 4. the cartoon or balloon test 5. role-playing activity.

5. When Procter & Gamble is interested in improving its Ultra Tide laundry detergent, it may invite a group of age 30- to 45-year-old women to brainstorm how Ultra Tide could perform better or how its packaging could be improved or to discuss other features of the detergent. What type of research method are they using? a. Qualitative research b. Quantitative research c. Mixed methods research d. Product research

a. Qualitative research

20. What are the focus group company principals often referred to as? a. Qualitative research consultants b. Moderator consultants c. Quantitative research consultants d. Observation group consultants

a. Qualitative research consultants

1. Research involving the administration of a set of structured questions with predetermined response options to a large number of respondents is: a. Quantitative research. b. Primary research. c. Qualitative research. d. Secondary research.

a. Quantitative research. Quantitative research is the traditional mainstay of the research industry, and it is sometimes referred to as "survey research." For our purposes, quantitative research is defined as research involving the administration of a set of structured questions with predetermined response options to a large number of respondents.

24. Online focus groups have the following disadvantages over traditional focus groups EXCEPT for which of the following? a. Transcripts cannot be captured in real time b. Observation of participants' body language is not possible c. Participants cannot physically inspect products or taste food items d. Participants can lose interest or become distracted

a. Transcripts cannot be captured in real time

27. Using a focus group to stay abreast of the words and phrases consumers use when describing products to improve communications about those products or services achieves what objective? a. Understand consumer vocabulary b. Reveal consumer needs, motives, perceptions, and attitudes c. Idea generation d. Understand findings from quantitative studies

a. Understand consumer vocabulary

13. Nielsen Media Research uses a device that is attached to a television set to record when and to what station a set is tuned. The type of observational research that this represents is: a. Unstructured observational research. b. Overt observational research. c. Invented research d. Indirect research.

a. Unstructured observational research. Unstructured observation places no restriction on what the observer notes. All behavior in the episode under study is monitored. The observer watches the situation and records what he or she deems interesting or relevant. Of course, the observer is thoroughly briefed on the area of general concern. This type of observation is often used in exploratory research.

30. Ethnographic research, an approach borrowed from anthropology, is defined as a detailed, ________ of a group and its behavior, characteristics, and culture. a. descriptive study b. longitudinal study c. cross-sectional study d. academic study

a. descriptive study

25. When the research objective is to ________, focus groups may be an alternative. a. explore or describe rather than predict b. describe and predict c. describe, explore, and predict d. explore and predict

a. explore or describe rather than predict

34. One of the main advantages of online communities is that they are ________, allowing a wide variety of data to be collected, including posts, photos, and videos. a. inexpensive and flexible b. easy to recruit and flexible c. flexible and diverse d. expensive but flexible

a. inexpensive and flexible

16. Of the following circumstances, which is NOT suited to an observational study? a. Short time interval b. Behavior patterns over lengthy time periods c. Public behavior d. Likelihood of faulty recall if respondents are asked about previous experiences

b. Behavior patterns over lengthy time periods

18. ________ are small groups of people brought together and guided through an unstructured, spontaneous discussion for the purpose of gaining information relevant to the research problem. a. Experimental groups b. Focus groups c. Observation groups d. Control groups

b. Focus groups

15. A motion-sensitive camera might be placed in people's kitchens to observe the behavior of family members as they inspect the contents of their refrigerator, prepare breakfast, unpack groceries, and conduct the many other routine activities that occur in kitchens. This is an example of: a. Covert observational research. b. In situ observational research. c. Unstructured observational research. d. Direct observational research.

b. In situ observational research. In situ versus invented observation refers to the extent that behavior is observed in its natural environment versus in an artificial, or invented, environment. With in situ observation, the researcher observes the behavior exactly as it happens in a natural environment.

9. Which of the following is NOT one of the four general ways of organizing observations? a. Direct versus indirect b. Mandatory versus voluntary c. Covert versus overt d. In situ versus invented

b. Mandatory versus voluntary

6. The Arizona Republic newspaper has used online focus groups for brainstorming, and the outcomes of these sessions are then used to devise online surveys. This is an example of: a. Product research. b. Mixed methods research. c. Readership research. d. Media research.

b. Mixed methods research.

44. By using ________ and understanding the neuroscience behind it, marketing researchers hope to more accurately posit what consumers really want (which can be different from what they say they want), what appeals to them, and what drives them to buy. a. Neurofocusing b. Neuroimaging c. Cerebroimaging d. Stimulus imaging

b. Neuroimaging

40. A picture or thematic apperception test involves providing a picture to participants, who are instructed to describe their reactions by writing a short story about the picture. This is used as part of what type of qualitative technique? a. In-depth interviews b. Projective technique c. Protocol analysis d. Focus groups

b. Projective technique Five common projective techniques are used by marketers: 1. the word-association test 2. the sentence completion test *3. the picture test* 4. the cartoon or balloon test 5. role-playing activity.

28. What objective would a company have by using a focus group to refresh the marketing team's understanding of what customers really feel or think about a product or service? a. Understand consumer vocabulary b. Reveal consumer needs, motives, perceptions, and attitudes c. Idea generation d. Understand findings from quantitative studies

b. Reveal consumer needs, motives, perceptions, and attitudes

26. If ________ is at hand, research that is representative of some population and that has some known margin of error (quantitative research) should be used. a. a low-level decision b. a high-stakes decision c. an operational decision d. a tactical decision

b. a high-stakes decision

21. The ________ of focus group participants should be judged against the target market profile to assess to what degree the groups represent the target market. a. demographic and socio-economic characteristics b. demographic and buyer behavior characteristics c. buying power and demographic characteristics d. geographic and buyer-behavior characteristics

b. demographic and buyer behavior characteristics Two factors are crucial when analyzing the data from focus groups. First, some sense must be made by translating the statements of participants into categories or themes and then reporting the degree of consensus apparent in the focus groups. Second, the *demographic and buyer behavior characteristics* of focus group participants should be judged against the target market profile to assess to what degree the groups represent the target market

35. A qualitative technique that involves ________ examines consumer motivations and hidden concerns. a. online panels b. in-depth interviews (IDIs) c. online ethnographic research d. social media interactive research

b. in-depth interviews (IDIs)

31. The advantage of mobile ethnography is that it can ________ that a researcher might miss, with respondents viewed as the experts of their own lives. a. uncover true entertainment habits b. uncover authentic behavior and feelings c. uncover gaming purchase and use behaviors d. uncover authentic shopping behavior

b. uncover authentic behavior and feelings

14. In ________ no restriction is placed on what the observer notes. All behavior in the episode under study is monitored. The observer watches the situation and records what he or she deems interesting or relevant. a. covert observational research b. unstructured observational research c. invented observational research d. direct observational research

b. unstructured observational research

7. A baked goods company asked focus group participants to first privately taste and rate the flavor of the pastry on a number of characteristics and then discuss their reactions with other focus group participants. This is an example of: a. Conducting product testing simultaneously. b. Conducting primary and secondary research concurrently. c. Conducting quantitative and qualitative research simultaneously. d. Conducting market tests and taste tests concurrently.

c. Conducting quantitative and qualitative research simultaneously.

36. Which type of qualitative method seeks unrestricted comments or opinions and asks questions that will help the marketing researcher better understand the various dimensions of these opinions as well as the reasons for them? a. Focus groups b. Mail surveys c. In-depth interviews d. Online panels

c. In-depth interviews

37. What type of qualitative method involves placing a person in a decision-making situation and asks him or her to verbalize everything he or she considers when making a decision? a. In-depth interviews b. Decision analysis research c. Protocol analysis d. Focus group research

c. Protocol analysis Protocol analysis involves placing a person in a decision-making situation and asking him or her to verbalize everything he or she considers when making a decision. This special-purpose qualitative research technique has been developed to peek into the consumer's decision-making processes. Often an audio recorder is used to maintain a permanent record of the person's thinking. After several people have provided protocols, the researcher reviews them and looks for commonalities, such as evaluative criteria used, number of brands considered, types and sources of information used, and so forth.

3. Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say is: a. Quantitative research. b. Primary research. c. Qualitative research. d. Secondary research.

c. Qualitative research.

17. Which of the following is NOT a major disadvantage of observational research? a. Generally small sample size, which may not be representative of the population b. Inability to determine consumers' motives, attitudes, and intentions c. Seeing what consumers actually do d. Subjective interpretation required to explain observed behavior

c. Seeing what consumers actually do

45. All of the following are types of neuromarketing EXCEPT which one of the following? a. Neuroimaging b. Eye tracking c. Stimulus imaging d. Facial coding

c. Stimulus imaging

22. A focus group phase may be used to gain a feel for ________ that will ultimately generate standardized information from a representative sample. a. a specific question b. a specific method c. a specific survey d. a specific group

c. a specific survey The focus group report reflects the qualitative aspect of this research method. It lists all themes that have become apparent, and it notes any diversity of opinions or thoughts expressed by the participants. It will also have numerous verbatim excerpts provided as evidence.26 In fact, some reports include complete transcripts or video recordings of the focus group discussion. This information is then used as the basis for further research studies or even for more focus groups. If the information is used for subsequent focus groups, the client uses the first group as a learning experience, making any adjustments to the discussion topics as needed to improve the research objectives. Although focus groups may be the only type of research used to tackle a marketing problem or question, they are also used as a beginning point for quantitative research efforts; that is, a focus group phase may be used to gain a feel for a specific survey that will ultimately generate standardized information from a representative sample.

10. General Mills used ________ to understand how children eat breakfast, leading to the launch of Go-Gurt, a midmorning snack for schoolchildren. a. indirect observational research b. in situ observational research c. direct observational research d. covert observational research

c. direct observational research Observation methods might be classified as direct versus indirect according to whether or not the phenomena is being observed in real time. Observing behavior as it occurs is called direct observation.6

41. If Ray-Ban is developing a new "Astronaut" sunglasses model with superior ultraviolet-light filtration, space-age styling, and a cost of about $200, ________ might be used to fathom consumers' initial reactions. a. an online panel survey b. a mail survey c. role playing d. in-depth interviews

c. role playing With role playing, participants are asked to pretend they are a "third person," such as a friend or neighbor, and to describe how they would act in a certain situation or to a specific statement. By reviewing their comments, the researcher can spot latent reactions, positive or negative, conjured up by the situation. It is believed that some of the respondents' true feelings and beliefs will be revealed by this method because they can pretend to be another individual.

23. Online focus groups have the following advantages over traditional focus groups EXCEPT for which of the following? a. No physical setup necessary b. Transcripts captured in real time c. Participants can be in different geographic locations d. Body language visible and apparent

d. Body language visible and apparent

42. Showing a line drawing of a situation in which one of the characters is making a statement, and asking the participant how the other character in the drawing would respond is using which type of projective technique? a. Role playing b. Thematic apperception test c. Sentence completion test d. Cartoon or balloon test

d. Cartoon or balloon test Five common projective techniques are used by marketers: 1. the word-association test 2. the sentence completion test 3. the picture test *4. the cartoon or balloon test* 5. role-playing activity.

19. A research technique that can be used to generate ideas, to learn the respondents' "vocabulary" when relating to a certain type of product, or to gain some insights into basic needs and attitudes is: a. In-depth interview. b. Protocol analysis. c. Role playing. d. Focus group.

d. Focus group.

11. When a sales manager examines records of sales calls to determine how frequently salespeople make cold calls, he or she is using what type of observational research? a. Direct b. Structured c. Covert d. Indirect

d. Indirect Some behaviors, such as past actions, cannot be directly observed. In those cases, we must rely on indirect observation, which involves observing the effects or results of the behavior rather than the behavior itself. Types of indirect observations include archives and physical traces. Archives are secondary sources, such as historical records, that can be applied to the present problem. These sources contain a wealth of information and should not be overlooked or underestimated. Many types of archives exist. For example, records of sales calls may be inspected to determine how often salespeople make cold calls

38. ________ involve situations in which participants are placed in simulated activities in the hopes that they will divulge things about themselves that they might not reveal under direct questioning. a. Focus groups b. In-depth interviews c. Protocol analyses d. Projective techniques

d. Projective techniques

29. A bank image survey showed that a particular branch consistently received lower scores on "employee friendliness." Focus group research later identified the problem. What objective did the bank have when it conducted the focus groups? a. Understand consumer vocabulary b. Reveal consumer needs, motives, perceptions, and attitudes c. Idea generation d. Understand findings from quantitative studies

d. Understand findings from quantitative studies

33. A popular and growing trend in marketing research is the use of ________ to gain insights, with about half of marketing research professionals in a 2014 survey claiming that their firm has used this research technique. a. focus groups b. ethnographic research groups c. shopalong research communities d. marketing research online communities

d. marketing research online communities A popular and growing trend in marketing research is the use of marketing research online communities to gain insights, with about half of marketing research professionals in a 2014 survey claiming that their firm has used this research technique. Marketing research online communities (MROCs), also called online panels, are groups of respondents that are brought together online to interact, provide opinions and ideas, and complete tasks. Online communities are inexpensive and flexible, allowing a wide variety of data to be collected, including posts, photos, and videos. Online communities can complete a number of tasks, including responding to open-ended questions, providing product and advertising feedback, keeping journals, and taking mini-polls using computers, tablets, or mobile phones. Creative tasks can be assigned to online communities, such as asking members for ideas for a name for a product or requesting recipes that incorporate a food product as an ingredient. Participants are often asked to share photos or videos of themselves interacting with products or services. Online communities are particularly effective for gaining insights from millennials and Generation Z, since younger consumers are the most avid users of social media

46. Neuromarketing is an emerging field that may offer additional ________ into consumer behavior. a. quantitative insights b. brain science insights c. secondary research insights d. qualitative insights

d. qualitative insights

4. Any study that is conducted using an observational technique or unstructured questioning can be classified as ________, which is becoming increasingly popular in a number of research situations. a. quantitative research b. secondary research c. strategic research d. qualitative research

d. qualitative research