A researcher wants to test the effects of daily meditation on the stress levels of individuals. She divides the participants randomly into a treatment group and a control group and conducts an experiment. She pays for meditation classes for half of the subjects, and the other half does not join the class. Which of the following statements is true of the two groups in this experiment?
A) The participants in the treatment group are assigned by chance, whereas the ones in the control group are assigned by choice.
B) The participants in the control group are assigned by chance, whereas the participants in the treatment group are assigned by choice.
C) The treatment group is the group of subjects that receives payment from the researcher for meditation classes; the control group is the group that does not.
D) The control group is the group of subjects that receives payment from the researcher to join the meditation class; the treatment group is the group that does not.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The treatment group is defined as the group that receives the intervention being tested—in this case, meditation classes paid for by the researcher. The control group does not receive this intervention, distinguishing the two groups based on the presence or absence of the treatment.

A Researcher Wants to Test the Effects of Daily Meditation