To evaluate the effect of server’s message might have on restaurant tips, server
ID: 3449300 • Letter: T
Question
To evaluate the effect of server’s message might have on restaurant tips, servers at a restaurant wrote a message on the dining check about an upcoming dinner special, expressing thanks for their patronage, or left it blank. Tips as a percentage of the final bill were calculated for each check.
(a) Is the study primarily a correlational study, or an experiment? Why do you give the answer you did?
(b) For each study, what are the conceptual variables and corresponding operational definitions of those variables? For experiments, specify the independent and dependent variables.
(c) Provide a possible hypothesis that the researchers may be trying to test. (4 points each)
Explanation / Answer
1. This is an experimental study. This is because the participants are exposed to two different levels of independent variable manipulation, with one group receiving a thank you message and the other receiving no message.
2. The independent variable is expression of gratitude and the dependent variable is received tips. The conceptual and operational definition of the IV is a message that expresses gratitude for a customer’s patronage. The conceptual and operational definition of the DV is the amount of money received as tips.
3. The null hypothesis of the study is: There is no significant impact of expressing gratitude to customers on the amount of tips received.
The alternative hypothesis if the study is: There is a significant impact of expressing gratitude to customers on the amount of tips received.