A researcher at the Fisher-Price Play Lab produced a study reporting t

QUESTION

A researcher at the Fisher-Price Play Lab produced a study reporting that children had strongly positive reactions to the new Happy Fun Ball.

Executives, however, are concerned that the study reflects the researchers’ opinions more than the children’s opinions. Which of the following questions is LEAST relevant to the evaluation of the accuracy of the study?
A) Did the parents share the children’s opinion of the Happy Fun Ball?
B) How many children participated in the study?
C) Did the children who played with the Happy Fun Ball have access to a variety of other toys as well?
D) What kinds of observed behavior led the researcher to conclude that the results were strongly positive?
E) Did the group of children tested include both boys and girls?

ANSWER

Answer: A
Explanation: A) The study didn’t claim anything about parents’ opinions. While Choice A is an interesting question, it is irrelevant to the evaluation of the accuracy of the study. Choice B talks about sample size, which is always an important issue. What if there were only three kids? Choice C brings up alternatives, which are important, too. If the Happy Fun Ball was the only toy around, then kids would play with it even if they preferred something else. Choice D gets at the definition of “strongly positive.” Interpreting the opinions of children can be very tricky. Choice E gets at representativeness. If only girls were included, then the results might not indicate the preferences of boys (and vice versa).