22. According to CSP’s Barbara Printup, effectiveness in losing weight, side effects, price, ease of completing the course, and image of the manufacturer are all independent variables that affect the preference for a prescription weight-loss drug. Assume that in a survey of prescription weight-loss drugs, each of the independent variables is measured on a 7-point scale, with 1 = poor and 7 = excellent. Preference for prescription weight-loss drugs is also measured on a 7-point scale, with 1 = not at all preferred and 7 = greatly preferred. Each respondent rates CSP and three competing prescription weight-loss drugs on all the independent variables as well as preference. What statistical technique(s) would you use to answer the following questions:

a. Is preference related to each of the independent variables considered individually? What is the nature of the relationship you expect?

b. Is preference related to all the independent variables considered simultaneously?

c. Do the respondents evaluate the prescription weight-loss drugs more favorably on effectiveness in losing weight than they do on side effects?

d. The sample is divided into two groups: users of prescription weight-loss drugs and nonusers. Do these two groups differ in terms of their preference for CSP’s Metabical?

e. Are the two groups of question d different in terms of income measured as high, medium, and low?

f. The sample is divided in three groups: heavy, medium, and light/nonusers of prescription weight-loss drugs. Do the three groups differ in terms of preference for CSP’s Metabical?

g. About 18 percent of the respondents have missing values on one or more variables. How would you treat the missing values?

h. A question asked the respondents to check as many of the eight prescription weight-loss drugs that they had used in the past 2 years. How should the data for this question be coded?