Question

Determine whether the following scenarios are observations or experiments.

An economist wants to determine if differences exist among the salaries of university professors in different departments. Data is collected from a random sample of six professors from each of the departments of business, history, and psychology.

Answer 1

The described scenario of an economist collecting salary data is an observational study because it involves recording naturally occurring figures without manipulating variables or assigning conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario described involves an economist collecting data from professors across different departments to determine salary differences. This constitutes an observational study, not an experiment. In an experiment, researchers would manipulate variables and assign subjects to control and experimental conditions to test a hypothesis. Here, the economist is merely recording naturally occurring salary figures without manipulating any factors or assigning professors to different conditions.

Experiments in social sciences, like the mystery shopper technique in economics or the testing of different educational approaches in psychology, involve active manipulation of conditions and random assignment. Observational studies, on the other hand, involve measuring or surveying without direct manipulation, such as comparing existing pollution levels in different bodies of water or analyzing public records of professor salaries.

In this case, the economist's approach is an attempt to understand existing differences rather than to test a causal relationship through manipulation. Thus, the method is purely observational and intended to draw inferences from the collected data.