A researcher asks a group of unhappy people to follow the advice in their newspaper horoscopes,and finds that over six months most of them become happier.What is the main problem with this research?
A)Most scientists are skeptical of horoscopes.
B)The study has no control group.
C)The study has too many independent variables.
D)Six months is too short a time for a before-and-after study.

Question

A researcher asks a group of unhappy people to follow the advice in their newspaper horoscopes,and finds that over six months most of them become happier.What is the main problem with this research?​
A)Most scientists are skeptical of horoscopes.
B)​The study has no control group.
C)​The study has too many independent variables.
D)​Six months is too short a time for a before-and-after study.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The main problem with this research is that it has no control group. Without a control group, it is impossible to determine if the observed changes in happiness were actually caused by following the horoscopes or if they would have happened anyway. The other options are not relevant to the main issue with the research.

A Researcher Asks a Group of Unhappy People to Follow