An urban ecologist investigated nesting behavior in blackbirds (Turdus merula) across different environments. Specifically, the researcher wanted to determine whether there is an association between the habitat type (urban areas versus rural woodlands) and the choice of nesting site (man-made structures, such as building ledges and bridges, versus natural structures, such as trees and shrubs).
An observational study was conducted over a breeding season, tracking the nest locations of randomly selected breeding pairs.
The collected frequency data is presented below:
| Number of bird nests recorded in different environments and structures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nesting in man-made structures | Nesting in natural structures | |
| Urban habitat | 84 | 31 |
| Rural habitat | 26 | 95 |
Explain why the Chi-Square (χ2\chi^2χ2) test is the correct statistical test to use to analyse the data in this study.
644 exam-style questions on OCR A Level Psychology Research methods and techniques. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.