What is the purpose of a control group in an experiment quizlet?
A control group in a scientific experiment is a group separated from the rest of the experiment, where the independent variable being tested cannot influence the results. This isolates the independent variable’s effects on the experiment and can help rule out alternative explanations of the experimental results.
What is the control group in an experiment?
Control group, the standard to which comparisons are made in an experiment. A typical use of a control group is in an experiment in which the effect of a treatment is unknown and comparisons between the control group and the experimental group are used to measure the effect of the treatment.
What is the purpose of a control in a scientific experiment?
A scientific control is an experiment or observation designed to minimize the effects of variables other than the independent variable. This increases the reliability of the results, often through a comparison between control measurements and the other measurements.
What is a control group in psychology?
The control group is composed of participants who do not receive the experimental treatment. When conducting an experiment, these people are randomly assigned to be in this group. They also closely resemble the participants who are in the experimental group or the individuals who receive the treatment.
What is a control in an experiment example?
A good example would be an experiment to test drug effects. The sample receiving the drug would be the experimental group while the sample receiving a placebo would be the control group. While all variables are kept similar (e.g. age, sex, etc.) the only difference between the groups is the taking of medication.
How do you identify a control in an experiment?
A control group is a group separated from the rest of the experiment such that the independent variable being tested cannot influence the results. This isolates the independent variable’s effects on the experiment and can help rule out alternative explanations of the experimental results.
What is an example of a control group?
A simple example of a control group can be seen in an experiment in which the researcher tests whether or not a new fertilizer has an effect on plant growth. The negative control group would be the set of plants grown without the fertilizer, but under the exact same conditions as the experimental group.
What makes a good control group?
A positive scientific control group is a control group that is expected to have a positive result. By using a treatment that is already known to produce an effect, the researcher can compare the test results with the (positive) control and see whether the results can match the effect of the treatment known to work..
What is an experiment without a control group called?
A quasi-experiment is an empirical interventional study used to estimate the causal impact of an intervention on target population without random assignment. Quasi-experiments are subject to concerns regarding internal validity, because the treatment and control groups may not be comparable at baseline.
Is control group necessary?
For strong internal validity, it’s usually best to include a control group if possible. Without a control group, it’s harder to be certain that the outcome was caused by the experimental treatment and not by other variables.
How do you choose a control group?
Selection of the Controls
- The comparison group (“controls”) should be representative of the source population that produced the cases.
- The “controls” must be sampled in a way that is independent of the exposure, meaning that their selection should not be more (or less) likely if they have the exposure of interest.
Which study design has a control group?
True experimental designs require random assignment. Control groups do not receive an intervention, and experimental groups receive an intervention. The basic components of a true experiment include a pretest, posttest, control group, and experimental group.