Patwardhan et al. report data from a study where they hired experimental confederates to attend speed dating events, posing as daters, and carefully take notes on the behaviors of the daters. what type of research design did they use?
a) case study
b) experiment
c) naturalistic observation
d) survey

C. naturalistic observation

Explanation:

Naturalistic observation: This is a research method mostly used by social scientists and psychologists. The techniques include observing the participants in their natural environment. This is a non-experimental, and qualitative research method. The different areas of interest are being recorded and observed by the experimenter or the researcher. The presence of the researcher or the experimenter might be either unknown or known to the participants. Researchers try not to make changes in the environment used for observation, as it can influence the outcome of the study.