33. Amusement Park W is in California. Amusement Park X is in Texas. A survey asks 1,000 people living in California if they prefer Amusement Park W or X. Which problem exists with this survey?
Answer: D
The survey suffers from systematic error.
The survey is biased because it only asks people living in California about their preferences, which will inherently favor Amusement Park W due to the geographical context. This creates a systematic error as the sample does not represent the entire population's preferences accurately.
A) Information bias
Information bias refers to inaccuracies in the information collected, such as misreporting or misunderstanding questions. In this case, the issue is not about the accuracy of the responses but rather the selection of respondents, making this option incorrect.
B) Measurement bias
Measurement bias occurs when the tools or methods used to gather data skew the results. This survey's method of questioning is not flawed in the measurement process itself; instead, it is the selection of participants that introduces bias, thus making this option incorrect.
C) Random error
Random error involves variability in responses that cannot be attributed to any specific cause, typically due to chance. This survey's problem is not random but systematic, as it consistently favors one group's opinions over another's, rendering this option incorrect.
D) Systematic error
Systematic error arises when there is a consistent bias in how data is collected or analyzed, leading to skewed results. In this survey, only California residents are asked, thus creating a consistent bias toward Amusement Park W, making this option correct.
Conclusion
The survey's design leads to a systematic error because it does not account for preferences outside California, thereby misrepresenting the overall opinions on the amusement parks. All other options do not accurately describe the nature of the bias affecting the survey, which clearly stems from the geographical limitation of the respondents.