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A study described in Food Network Magazine (January 2012) concluded that people who push a shopping cart at a grocery store are less likely to purchase junk food than those who use a hand-held basket. a. Do you think this study was an observational study or an experiment? b. Is it reasonable to conclude that pushing a shopping cart causes people to be less likely to purchase junk food? Explain why or why not.

Short Answer

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a. Without specific detailed description of how the study was conducted, it's difficult to definitively say if it was an observational study or an experiment. However, based on the given details, it could be reasonably inferred that it was an observational study. b. It's not reasonable to conclude that pushing a shopping cart causes people to be less likely to purchase junk food just from this study, as correlation does not imply causation and other confounding variables could be at play.

Step by step solution

01

Determining the Study Type

To determine the type of study (observational study or experiment), evaluate whether there was manipulation done to the subjects of the study or not. If individuals were allowed to shop as they normally would without any intervention or influencing factors, then it was an observational study. However, if some conditions were artificially enforced (such as some people were told to use carts while others told to use baskets), then it was an experiment.
02

Evaluating Causal Relationship

In assessing whether it's reasonable to conclude that pushing a shopping cart causes people to be less likely to purchase junk food, consider factors such as confounding variables. If the study didn't control for other factors such as shopping behavior or individual's health consciousness, making a causal statement would be unreasonable. It's crucial to note that correlation does not imply causation.

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