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How Many People Wash Their Hands After Using the Washroom? In Example 1.10 on page 16 , we introduce a study by researchers from Harris Interactive who were interested in determining what percent of people wash their hands after using the washroom. They collected data by standing in public restrooms and pretending to comb their hair or put on make-up as they observed patrons' behavior. \(^{23}\) Public restrooms were observed at Turner's Field in Atlanta, Penn Station and Grand Central Station in New York, the Museum of Science and Industry and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and the Ferry Terminal Farmers Market in San Francisco. Of the over 6000 people whose behavior was observed, \(85 \%\) washed their hands. Women were more likely to wash their hands: \(93 \%\) of women washed, while only \(77 \%\) of men did. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago had the highest hand-washing rate, while men at Turner's Field in Atlanta had the lowest. (a) What are the cases? What are the variables? Classify each variable as quantitative or categorical. (b) In a separate telephone survey of more than 1000 adults, more than \(96 \%\) said they always wash their hands after using a public restroom. Why do you think there is such a discrepancy in the percent from the telephone survey compared to the percent observed?

Step by step solution

01

Identification of Cases and Variables

The cases of the study are the people whose behavior was observed in the washrooms at different locations. The variables are: 1) Gender of the person (Categorical variable: Male or Female), 2) Location of the restroom (Categorical variable: Turner's Field, Penn Station, Grand Central Station, Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, and the Ferry Terminal Farmers Market), and 3) whether the person washed their hands or not after using the washroom (Categorical variable: Yes or No).

02

Explaining the Discrepancy

The discrepancy between the percentage from the telephone survey and the percentage observed could be due to social desirability bias. In a telephone survey, people are more likely to report behaviors that are seen as positive or acceptable in society even if they do not follow those behaviors in reality. On the other hand, the percentage obtained from direct observation is more likely to reflect the actual behavior of people. In this context, washing hands after using the restroom is a socially desirable behavior, so people might have reported that they always wash their hands in the survey even if they do not always do so in reality.

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Key Concepts

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

Observational Study

An observational study is a key method in research where investigators assess subjects without manipulating the study environment or control over variables. Unlike randomized controlled trials, which enforce strict rules and manipulate variables to test hypotheses, observational studies simply observe and record data under natural circumstances. In the context of the hand washing behavior study, researchers conducted observations incognito, pretending to fix their hair or apply makeup, while noting whether individuals washed their hands after using the washroom.

Observational studies are particularly useful when it is not possible or ethical to manipulate variables. They provide insights into real-world behaviors and associations, but it is important to recognize they do not establish causation. Because the researchers in this study did not intervene, their findings reflect the unaltered behavior of the washroom patrons.

Categorical Variables

Categorical variables, unlike quantitative variables, describe characteristics or categories that can take on one of a limited, fixed number of possible values. In the hand washing study, categorical variables include: gender (male or female), the location of the restroom (specific venues), and hand washing behavior (yes or no). These variables are vital in understanding patterns and trends in the data.

Analysis of categorical data often involves examining the frequency or proportion of cases that fall into each category. For example, in assessing hand washing habits, researchers looked at the percentage of individuals who washed their hands across different locations and compared it between genders, using proportions (like the 85% overall hand washing rate) to summarize their data.

Social Desirability Bias

Social desirability bias occurs when respondents to a study alter their responses to be more acceptable or favorable within social norms. This bias is a common issue with surveys and self-reported data, and it's a crucial factor to consider when interpreting findings.

When individuals were surveyed by phone about their hand washing habits, the notable discrepancy between self-reported data (96% claimed to always wash hands) and the observational data (85% observed washing hands) could largely be attributed to social desirability bias. The anonymity and lack of direct observation in a telephone survey might encourage people to provide answers that they feel are socially approved rather than those that truthfully reflect their behavior.