In several of the following exercises, you are asked to identify the type of data that is described. Possible answers include anecdotal data, available data, observational data that are from sample surveys, observational data that are not from sample surveys, and experiments. It is possible for some data to be classified in more than one category.
3.13 Gender and consumer choices.
Men and women differ in their choices for many product categories. Are there gender differences in preferences for health insurance plans as well? A market researcher interviews a large sample of consumers, both men and women. She asks each consumer which of two health plans he or she prefers. Is this study an experiment? Why or why not? What are the explanatory and response variables?
3.13
This study is not an experiment because no treatment was imposed. The explanatory variable is gender; the response is the choice of health plan.