What is the universe of objects of interest in a study referred to as?

The universe of objects of interest in a study is referred to as the population. In a statistical context, a population includes all elements or subjects that possess a characteristic in common and are the focus of the study. For instance, if researchers are studying the health behaviors of teenagers in a specific city, the population would consist of all teenagers within that city.

This term is fundamental in research design and analysis because understanding the population allows researchers to determine the appropriate methods for data collection, sampling techniques, and statistical analysis. It serves as the basis for making inferences about a larger group based on the findings from a sample drawn from that population.

Other terms such as sample and aggregate may relate to subsets or groupings of the population but do not emphasize the complete set of subjects under consideration. The collective is less commonly used in this specific context, making population the most accurate term.