Survey errors +++ Flashcards
Respondents thought they knew the answer but they really didn’t.
Response bias
We got the results from our phone survey. We got a lot more females in their 30s and 40s than are in the actual population.
Non-response bias
The Coke example/ the language online example –> loved the website but people didn’t want to learn languages online. Researched the wrong thing/ asked the wrong questions
Surrogate error
A survey asks “how much would u pay for this product” but also didn’t leave enough space for people to answer
Instrument error
I bought a list of names of software engineers to send my survey out in the Silicon Valley area, but a lot of emails on the list were bad because many of the engineers had moved to other companies.
Frame error
Hired someone with poor computer skills who did a bad job entering the data (made mistakes typing)
Processing (input) error
Polled the wealthiest in the area to determine the demand for weekly cleaning. Turned out they all had a full time maid. Didn’t define my population well.
Population error
The person I hired to conduct the survey was rude and in a hurry.
Interviewer error
Even though I told the staff in the company to get an even mix of ages and genders to complete the survey they ended up getting more old women cause that was the easiest.
Selection error
Sample design errors
- selection error
- frame error
- population error
Measurement error
- processing (input) error
- response bias
- non-response bias
- interviewer bias/error
- instrument bias/error
- surrogate information error
A market research experiment:
The researcher changes an explanatory, independent marketing variable (e.g. the marketing mix) to observe changes in the dependent variable.
Causal research
The only type of research that can demonstrate that a change in one variable causes a predictable change in another variable
Laboratory experiments
Conducted in a controlled setting
Lab experiments- advantages
- Ability to control all variables
- Greater internal validity
Lab experiments- disadvantages
- May not have good external validity
- Not transferrable to the actual marketplace
Field experiments
Tests conducted outside the laboratory
Field experiments- advantages
- Creates realism of the environment
Field experiments- disadvantages
- Internal validity
- No control over extraneous factors
– Weather, temperature, humidity
– Light, power, Internet speed
– People present, influences on test subject
– Access to information
Validity
Degree to which an experiment actually measures
what it is trying to measure
Internal validity
The extent to which competing explanations can be ruled out.
External validity
The extent to which causal relationships can be generalized to outside persons, settings, and times
Lab experiments
- High internal validity
- Low external validity
Will the results be the same in the real world though?
Field experiments
- Low internal validity
- High external validity