Random assignment of research participants to experimental conditions means that ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Random assignment means that each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to each experimental condition. This helps to control for participant characteristics and minimize the likelihood of a confounding of variables. Option A is incorrect because it describes a within-subjects design, not random assignment. Option B is incorrect because it implies that there is only one experimental condition, not multiple conditions. Option C is incorrect because random assignment helps to control for participant characteristics, so they do not have as much of an effect on the outcomes of the experiment. Option E is incorrect because while random assignment does minimize the likelihood of a confounding of variables, it does not completely eliminate the possibility.

Random Assignment of Research Participants to Experimental Conditions Means That