Quantitative Research

- Empirical research where the data are numerical
- Formal, objective, systematic (applies to all kinds of research) process in which numerical data are untilized to obtain info about the world

- Explicit research questions/hypotheses
- Limited interactions with particpants
- More structured process: close-ended questions
- Researchers objective, impartial role
- May be projectable to a broad population
- Complements qualitative data

-Observation of animate (consumer behavior) or inanimate objects (TV commecials, e.g. content analysis)
- Examines overt, accessible behaviors
- Research TECHNIQUE and can be qualitative or quantitative

- Type of situation: natural (frequent, easily accessible events in a real world setting) vs. contrived (events prompted in an artificial setting)
- Observer obtrusiveness: obtrusive (open, known presence) vs. disguised (unknown presence)
- Form of data recording: structured (quantitative checklist) vs. unstructured (qualitative descriptions)

- May be the only method feasible
- Useful for determining "how"
- Does not rely on a consumer's willingness to dive desired data

- Potential incorrect inferefence or selective observation by the researcher
- High cost and time-consuming for infrequent events
- Unable to measure "why" (motivations, beliefs, attitudes)
- Data is open to misinterpretation

- Voluntary responses: eye tracking
- Involuntary responses (emotional responses): brain waves, Galvanic skin responses, voice pitch

Probably the most objective data

- Special training and facility necessary
- Involuntary responses: intensity, but not direction
- Rarely used independently

- Highest quality of data
- Useful for a long, complex questionnaire
-Visual stimuli can be used

- True random sample and generalizability are not feasible
- Highly trained interviewers
- Expensive, time-consuming

- Marginal costs for multiple contacts
- Useful for interviews with complex skip patterns
- True random sample and generalizability are feasible

- Must be short
- Questionnaire cannot be complex
- Difficult to collect sensitive data
- High resfusal rate
- No visual stimuli

- Cost-efficient per completed survey
- Useful for sensitive data
- Respondent convenience

- Extended timing of data collection
- Low response rate
- Limited questionnaire length and complexity

- Cost-efficient per completed survey
- Respondent convenience
- Useful for sensitive data
- Useful for interviews with complex skip patterns
- Adaptive to responses

- Low response rate
- Extended timing of data collection
- Special programming skills necessary
- True random sample and generalizability are not feasible

- Personal interview
- Telephone interviews: 1/4 to 1/2 as much as personal interview
- Mail and Web surveys (free to e-mail) are cost-efficient per completed survey

- Mail surveys: mailing, processing and delivery, completion, processing and delievery, etc.
- Personal and Web surveys almost always slower than telephone; faster or slower than mail depending on sample size (increase in sample = increase in time)
- Telephone surveys: all training and coordinatino can be performed at a central facility; teams of interviewers can work simultaneously

Defnition: extent to which a researcher can control who responds
- Personal and telephone interviews: personal contact and immediate nature ensures that respondent is part of sample
- Mail and Web: no assurance that the person to whom the survey is directed is the one who completes it

Definition: extent of control a researcher has over the circumstances in which a respndent provides his or her answers to the survey
- Personal and telephone: interviewer can make sure that respondent participates and answer appropriately
- Web surveys: software can lead respondents through survey properly, but no guarantee that respondent has read everything
- Mail survey: no assurance that respondent will read necessary material, answer propertly

Definition: extent to which a researcer is able to monitor interviewer quality
- Telephone surveys: supervisors can monitor interviewers
-Web: computer program ensures that questionnaire is given same way every time
- Personal interview: supervisor cannot monitor every interview
-Mail: N/A

- Mail: race, ethnicity, education, socioeconomic status affect participation
- Personal and telephone: participation rates among subsamples are generally equal

Definition: degree to which the data collected in the research study is free of errors
- Telephone and mail: respondents more candid, likely to reveal personal info
- Web: respondents somewhat likely to give personal info
- Personal interviews: better for collecting complete and considered responses

- Personal interview
- Telephone interviews: difficult to collect sensitive data; useful for complex skip patterns
- Mail surveys: Useful for sensitive data; good for simple topics
- Web surveys: useful for sensitive data; hard to answer open-ended questions

- Personal interview: good for long, complex questionnaire
- Web: relatively high level of complexity
- Telephone: simple questions, especially when dealing with verbal complexity
- Mail: limited questionnaire length and complexity

- Personal interview: face-to-face nature allows interviewer to keep respondent interested
- Mail surveys: long ones are visually overwhelming, time-consuming
- Telephone surveys compete with other home and business activities
- Web surveys: time-consuming

-Personal interview: face-to-face contact makes respondents answers
-Telephone interview: interactive nature ensures answers
- Mail surveys
- Web surveys: less accountability