A researcher randomly assigns a group of male and female college students to either gossip about their friends or to play a game of basketball.Afterward,the researcher administers the students a measure of happiness.The finding is that students who played basketball are happier than those who gossiped.What is the MOST likely cause of this outcome?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The finding suggests that playing basketball made students happier than gossiping did. This is the most likely explanation as there is no mention of pre-existing differences between the groups in terms of gender or sport preference, and it is the only explanation that directly relates to the specific manipulation performed by the researcher.

A Researcher Randomly Assigns a Group of Male and Female