Question

Do product labels influence customer perceptions? To find out, researchers recruited more

than $500$adults and asked them to estimate the number of calories, amount of added

sugar, and amount of fat in a variety of food products. Half of the subjects were

randomly assigned to evaluate products with the word “Natural” on the label, while the

other half were assigned to evaluate the same products without the “Natural” label. On

average, the products with the “Natural” label were judged to have significantly fewer

calories. Based on this study, is it reasonable to conclude that including the word

“Natural” on the label causes a reduction in estimated calories?

a. No, because the adults weren’t randomly selected from the population of all adults.

b. No, because there wasn’t a control group for comparison.

c. No, because association doesn’t imply causation.

d. Yes, because the adults were randomly assigned to the treatments.

e. Yes, because there were a large number of adults involved in the study.

Short answer

Correct option is (a) No, because the adults weren’t randomly selected from the population of all adults.

Step-by-step solution

Part (a) Step 1: Given Information 

$500$adults were asked to estimate the number of calories, amount of added

sugar, and amount of fat in a variety of food products. Half of the subjects were

randomly assigned to evaluate products with the word “Natural” on the label, while the

other half were assigned to evaluate the same products without the “Natural” label.

Part (a) Step 2: Explanation  

No, because the adults weren’t randomly selected from the population of all adults.

In this study, researchers want to find out that do the product labels influence customer perception or not. So, they conducted an experiment. Since the experiment does not randomly choose the adults that were selected for the study. Thus, it is not reasonable to conclude that including the word “natural” on the label causes a reduction in estimated calories. So, the option (a) is correct option.

Part (b) Step 1: Given Information

$500$adults were asked to estimate the number of calories, amount of added

sugar, and amount of fat in a variety of food products. Half of the subjects were

randomly assigned to evaluate products with the word “Natural” on the label, while the

other half were assigned to evaluate the same products without the “Natural” label.

Part (b) Step 2: Explanation 

No, because there wasn’t a control group for comparison.

This option is incorrect because it is saying that there was no control group for comparison,which is wrong.there was a control group of comparison of$500$adults.

Part (c) Step 1:Given Information 

$500$adults were asked to estimate the number of calories, amount of added

sugar, and amount of fat in a variety of food products. Half of the subjects were

randomly assigned to evaluate products with the word “Natural” on the label, while the

other half were assigned to evaluate the same products without the “Natural” label.

Part (c) Step 2:Explanation 

No, because association doesn’t imply causation.

This option is incorrect because association imply causation as it has random assignment.

Part (d) Step 1:Given Information  

$500$adults were asked to estimate the number of calories, amount of added

sugar, and amount of fat in a variety of food products. Half of the subjects were

randomly assigned to evaluate products with the word “Natural” on the label, while the

other half were assigned to evaluate the same products without the “Natural” label.

Part (d) Step 2:Explanation  

Yes, because the adults were randomly assigned to the treatments.

This option is incorrect because we use the word cause when we have random assignment.

Part (e) Step 1:Given Information 

$500$adults were asked to estimate the number of calories, amount of added

sugar, and amount of fat in a variety of food products. Half of the subjects were

randomly assigned to evaluate products with the word “Natural” on the label, while the

other half were assigned to evaluate the same products without the “Natural” label.

Part (e) Step 2: Explanation  

Yes, because there were a large number of adults involved in the study.

This option is incorrect because we have considered only$500$adults for study.