/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 10 Based on a survey conducted on t... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91影视

91影视

Log out

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 2: Problem 10

Based on a survey conducted on the DietSmart .com web site, investigators concluded that women who regularly watched \(O\) prah were only one-seventh as likely to crave fattening foods as those who watched other daytime talk shows (San Luis Obispo Tribune, October 14,2000\()\). a. Is it reasonable to conclude that watching \(O\) prah causes a decrease in cravings for fattening foods? Explain. b. Is it reasonable to generalize the results of this survey to all women in the United States? To all women who watch daytime talk shows? Explain why or why not.

Short Answer

Expert verified
No, it is not reasonable to conclude that watching Oprah directly causes a decrease in cravings for fattening foods, as this is an observational study that can suggest correlation but not prove causation. Furthermore, it is not reasonable to generalize the survey results to all women in the U.S. or all women watching talk shows as the surveyed sample is not necessarily representative of these populations.

Step by step solution

01

Analyzing the argument for causality

One should first understand the difference between correlation and causation. Observational studies, like this survey, can suggest correlation but cannot prove causation. Although there is a correlation between watching Oprah and decreased cravings for fattening foods, it does not necessarily mean that watching Oprah is the cause of the decreased cravings. Other factors may be playing a role, or perhaps people who watch Oprah are already more prone to healthier eating habits. Thus, it is not reasonable to conclude that watching Oprah directly causes a decrease in cravings for fattening foods without more information or controlled experimental evidence.
02

Analyzing the potential for generalizability

For the second question, one has to consider the representativeness of the sample surveyed. The results of this survey apply directly only to the group of women surveyed, who visited the DietSmart.com website. This is likely a self-selected group, which may differ in significant ways from the general population of women in the U.S, or the general population of women who watch talk shows. Differences, such as dieting interest, health consciousness, socioeconomic status, etc. could skew the results. Therefore, it is not reasonable to generalize the survey results to all women in the U.S. or all women who watch daytime talk shows without additional data confirming that these groups are represented adequately in the sample.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91影视!

Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Correlation vs. Causation
In the world of research and studies, understanding the difference between correlation and causation is key. Just because two things appear to be linked, doesn't mean one causes the other. This particular survey noticed a link between women watching Oprah and a decrease in their cravings for fattening foods. However, can we say the act of watching Oprah is the direct cause? Not quite!
  • Correlation means there's a relationship between two things. When one changes, the other tends to change too.
  • Causation means one directly causes the other to happen.
In this case, the survey can suggest there might be a correlation, but it can't prove causation. There might be other factors influencing this relationship. Perhaps these women already have healthier habits or share other common traits. More specific and controlled studies would be needed to confidently assert causation.
Generalizability
When researchers talk about generalizability, they mean the extent to which findings apply to larger groups beyond a study's sample. But can we take the results of this survey and apply them to all women everywhere? Not so fast!
  • The women surveyed were visitors of the DietSmart.com website, which could mean they already have a special interest in diet or health.
  • This self-selected group might not represent all women in the U.S. or those who watch daytime talk shows.
  • Considerations like socioeconomic status, health consciousness, or even regional diets might play a role in the differences.
Results from specific groups can't automatically be generalized to broader populations without careful consideration and additional supporting information. The sample's representativeness is crucial.
Survey Analysis
Surveys are powerful tools in understanding groups and their behaviors or attitudes, but interpreting their results requires a careful approach. When analyzing a survey like this one from DietSmart.com, several factors should be taken into account to ensure the accuracy of conclusions drawn.
  • Survey population: It's important to know who participated in the survey. In this case, it was a specific group, so broader conclusions should be hesitant.
  • Questions and methodology: How were questions framed, and was there any possibility of bias?
  • Sample size: Larger samples generally provide more reliable data, but if the sample isn't representative, even a large sample can lead astray.
Understanding these elements helps in analyzing whether the survey results can be considered reliable and applicable to larger groups. Each survey must be critically evaluated to determine its strengths and limitations.

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

A survey described in the paper "The Adolescent Health Review: A Brief Multidimensional Screening Instrument" (Journal of Adolescent Health [2001]:131-139) attempted to address psychosocial factors thought to be of importance in preventive health care for adolescents. For each risk area in the following list, construct a question that would be comprehensible to students in grades \(9-12\) and that would provide information about the risk factor. Make your questions multiple-choice, and provide possible responses. a. Lack of exercise b. Poor nutrition c. Emotional distress d. Sexual activity e. Cigarette smoking f. Alcohol use

An advertisement for a sweatshirt that appeared in Sky Mall Magazine (a catalog distributed by some airlines) stated the following: "This is not your ordinary hoody! Why? Fact: Research shows that written words on containers of water can influence the water's structure for better or worse depending on the nature and intent of the word. Fact: The human body is \(70 \%\) water. What if positive words were printed on the inside of your clothing?" For only \(\$ 79\), you could purchase a hooded sweatshirt that had over 200 positive words (such as hope, gratitude, courage and love) in 15 different languages printed on the inside of the sweatshirt so that you could benefit from being surrounded by these positive words. The reference to the "fact" that written words on containers of water can influence the water's structure appears to be based on the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto who typed words on paper, pasted the words on bottles of water, and observed how the water reacted to the words by seeing what kind of crystals were formed in the water. He describes several of his experiments in his self published book, The Message from Water. If you were going to interview Dr. Emoto, what questions would you want to ask him about his experiment?

Suppose that a group of 1000 orange trees is laid out in 40 rows of 25 trees each. To determine the sugar content of fruit from a sample of 30 trees, researcher \(A\) suggests randomly selecting five rows and then randomly selecting six trees from each sampled row. Researcher \(\mathrm{B}\) suggests numbering each tree on a map of the trees from 1 to 1000 and using random numbers to select 30 of the trees. Which selection method is preferred? Explain.

The report "Undergraduate Students and Credit Cards in 2004: An Analysis of Usage Rates and Trends" (Nellie Mae, May 2005 ) estimated that \(21 \%\) of undergraduates with credit cards pay them off each month and that the average outstanding balance on undergraduates' credit cards is \(\$ 2169 .\) These estimates were based on an online survey that was sent to 1260 students. Responses were received from 132 of these students. Is it reasonable to generalize the reported estimates to the population of all undergraduate students? Address at least two possible sources of bias in your answer.

For each of the situations described, state whether the sampling procedure is simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, cluster sampling, systematic sampling, or convenience sampling. a. All first-year students at a university are enrolled in 1 of 30 sections of a seminar course. To select a sample of freshmen at this university, a researcher selects four sections of the seminar course at random from the 30 sections and all students in the four selected sections are included in the sample. b. To obtain a sample of students, faculty, and staff at a university, a researcher randomly selects 50 faculty members from a list of faculty, 100 students from a list of students, and 30 staff members from a list of staff. c. A university researcher obtains a sample of students at his university by using the 85 students enrolled in his Psychology 101 class. d. To obtain a sample of the seniors at a particular high school, a researcher writes the name of each senior on a slip of paper, places the slips in a box and mixes them, and then selects 10 slips. The students whose names are on the selected slips of paper are included in the sample. e. To obtain a sample of those attending a basketball game, a researcher selects the 24 th person through the door. Then, every 50 th person after that is also included in the sample.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Math Textbooks

Mechanics Maths

Read Explanation

Pure Maths

Read Explanation

Discrete Mathematics

Read Explanation

Decision Maths

Read Explanation

Calculus

Read Explanation

Geometry

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.