A team of researchers wants to determine whether pet owners are generally more satisfied with their lives than non-pet owners. To test their theory, the researchers randomly select 500 pet owners and 500 non-pet owners from several major metropolitan areas in the country. The researchers then interview the individuals, asking them a series of questions. Each response is assessed with a point value that is later translated to a satisfaction indicator. Of the pet owners surveyed, 380 of the 500 were found to be satisfied with their lives, while 336 of the 500 non-pet owners were found to be satisfied.
Would this study be considered an experiment or an observational study?