Researchers are investigating the effects of music on compliance, 50% of the participants listen to happy music and 50% listen to sad music. What technique should the investigators use to ensure that any post-test differences in the group's compliance result from the differences in music listening?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Random assignment is the best technique to ensure that any post-test differences in compliance result from the differences in music listening. Random assignment involves randomly assigning participants to either the happy music or sad music group, which helps to control for individual differences between participants. This means that any differences in compliance between the two groups can be more confidently attributed to the type of music listened to, rather than to other factors such as pre-existing differences in compliance levels. Random sampling, replication, and correlational measurement are not sufficient to ensure that any post-test differences are attributable to music listening.

Researchers Are Investigating the Effects of Music on Compliance, 50