One study found that passengers flying on Boeing-747s preferred them to L-1011s, while passengers flying on L-1011s preferred them to Boeing-747s. This is an example of:

A. random sampling error.
B. social desirability bias.
C. administration error – sample selection error.
D. response bias.

I'm stuck on this one because it seems B and D could be the right answer. Does this automatically eliminate both from the choices?

To determine the correct answer to this question, let's go through the options and see which one best explains the given scenario.

A. Random sampling error: This refers to an error that occurs when a sample is not representative of the entire population. However, the scenario does not provide any information regarding the sampling process, so we can eliminate this option.

B. Social desirability bias: This bias occurs when survey respondents answer questions in a manner that they believe is socially acceptable or desirable. While this bias could potentially explain why the passengers' responses differ, it does not explain why the preference is reversed for the two aircraft types. Therefore, we can eliminate this option as well.

C. Administration error – sample selection error: This refers to an error that occurs during the sample selection process, possibly leading to a biased sample. However, the scenario does not provide any information about the administration or sample selection process, so we can eliminate this option.

D. Response bias: This bias occurs when survey respondents have a systematic tendency to respond to questions inaccurately. In this case, passengers' preferences for the aircraft seem to be influenced by factors unrelated to the objective qualities of each plane. Therefore, the reversal of preference could be attributed to response bias. Thus, D is the most plausible answer.

In summary, based on the information provided, the most suitable answer is D.