The causal investigation It is the one aimed at discovering possible relationships between variables. Its objective is to understand which variables are the cause of the effect studied. That is, it seeks to identify the functional relationship between cause and effect.
It is a type of experimental and statistical research. The experiments can be carried out in laboratories with controlled conditions to avoid misinterpretation of the cause and effect relationship). In these cases, the researcher controls some variables and manipulates others. But also, experiments can be carried out in the field, where control and manipulation are more limited.
For its part, statistical research is carried out on pre-existing data. In some cases, statistical methods are applied to establish the probability that a variable x has some effect on the variable y. In other cases, simulations using mathematical models are used to determine this causality..
Among others, causal research has a great field of application in the area of marketing. For example, it can be used to measure the potential impact that a specific change in product characteristics can have on consumer preferences. From this, a company can base its business plan.
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As the name implies, causal research seeks to establish causality. In general, it can be said that these studies establish the why and how of a phenomenon.
This type of inquiry explores the effect of one thing on another and, more specifically, the effect of one variable on another..
One of the most outstanding characteristics is that they are highly structured. In that sense, they require a rigid sequential approach to sampling..
Sampling is the process in which a predetermined number of observations is taken from a population of considerable size.
In addition, they are also very rigorous to carry out data collection and analysis. All these rigorous measures in the study design seek to establish a reliable and verifiable relationship between two or more constructs or variables..
Even the other influencing variables must be controlled so that their impact on the effect can be eliminated or minimized. Thus, if one seeks to establish the impact of salary conditions on voluntary staff turnover, other intervening variables such as age, marital status or educational level, among others, should be controlled.
On the other hand, this type of study requires experimentation to establish causality. And, in most situations, it is quantitative in nature and makes use of statistical tests of the information collected..
In this type of research, control over the variables involved in the process is easier. Because the strictest control is made over the independent variables, it becomes easier to eliminate or restrict the effect of external and unwanted variables..
Due to the form of the causal investigation design, manipulation of the variables is quick and easy. In this way, cause-effect relationships can be easily determined..
Experiments conducted through causal research can be repeated and the results can be re-verified. This increases the degree of reliability.
This is possible thanks to the fact that in this type of research specific control configurations are used that reduce the uncertainty in the results.
Causal studies can play an instrumental role in terms of identifying the reasons behind a wide range of processes..
In the same way, through them the impact of the modifications in the norms, processes, among others can be evaluated..
In causal research, coincidences in events can affect the results. These can be perceived as cause and effect relationships, when in reality they are not. .
At times, in this type of research, it can be difficult to reach appropriate conclusions based on the results of the study carried out. This is due to the impact of a wide range of factors and variables in the environment of the analyzed event..
In certain cases, it is difficult to identify which variable is a cause and what is its impact on the event studied. This situation can appear frequently even though the correlation between the variables has been effectively established..
In 2012, Spanova conducted a study to find out the relationship between climate and the emotional state of individuals. This took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, over a period of eight months. In the course of this research, five psychological methods were used.
The results obtained showed that abrupt climate changes, as expected, had effects on human emotions. In addition, emotionally stable individuals were shown to be more resistant to the influence of weather on their emotions..
Matos and Veiga, in 2004, investigated how negative publicity can affect consumer perceptions. They also analyzed different options for the company's reactions and evaluated the moderators..
To achieve their goals, they conducted a laboratory study. This sought to test how consumers process publicly negative information.
The results confirm the deleterious effect of negative publicity on consumer attitudes. However, identification with the brand or product is a mitigating factor..
On the other hand, a field study compared the different responses of the company to this type of advertising. The results confirmed the findings of the first study: the degree of identification with the product minimizes the negative effects.
Another example of causal research is the study presented by Gertner in April 2011. Its objective was to evaluate the effects of electronic text on reading comprehension and transfer learning.
Sixty-nine students participated in this study who enrolled in an introductory psychology course. One group used traditional textbooks, while another only used electronic texts. Then both groups completed the assessment tests on comprehension and transfer learning..
Overall, a positive relationship between learning and reading was found in electronic text transfer scores compared to traditional text. Furthermore, reading comprehension scores were similar.
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