Ambient scents effect food choices. Refer to the Journal of Marketing Research (February 2019) study that investigated whether food-related ambient scents had an effect on consumers’ product choices, Exercise 2.12 (p. 68). At a supermarket, the researchers compared two ambient scents— chocolate chip cookie (the indulgent scent) and strawberry (the non-indulgent scent)—each run for one hour. At the end of the hour, all purchases at the store were classified as either healthy (e.g., fish and fruit), unhealthy (e.g., candy and ice cream), or neutral/nonfood. The number (and percentage) of products purchased in each category for both the indulgent and non-indulgent scents are summarized in the table. The researchers concluded that indulgent scent influences a consumer’s healthy, unhealthy, and neutral food purchases. Scent Total Number Purchased Healthy Unhealthy Neutral Indulgent (Cookie) 292 (100%) 86 (30%) 114 (39%) 92 (31%) Non-indulgent (Strawberry) 527 (100%) 240 (45%) 135 (26%) 152 (29%) Source: Biswas, D. & Szocs, C. “The Smell of Healthy Choices: Cross-Modal Sensory Compensation Effects of Ambient Scent on Food Purchases”, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 56, No. 1, February 2019 (adapted from Table 3.B).

a. Based on the percentages shown in the table, do you think that indulgent scent influences a consumer’s purchase of healthy, unhealthy, or neutral? Why are these percentages alone insufficient to draw a conclusion about the true response category proportions?

b. Specify the null and alternative hypotheses for testing whether a consumer’s choice of healthy, unhealthy, or neutral foods depends on the indulgent scent.

c. A StatCrunch printout of the contingency table analysis is shown below. Locate the test statistic and p-value on the printout.

d. Make the appropriate conclusion using a = .01.