Research participants are randomly assigned to different groups in an experiment in order to
A) minimize chances that participants in any group know each other.
B) increase chances that participants are representative of people in general.
C) minimize any differences between groups of participants.
D) increase chances that the different groups have the same number of participants.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Minimizing any differences between groups of participants ensures that any observed effects can be attributed to the experimental manipulation rather than pre-existing differences among participants. Random assignment helps achieve equivalent groups at the start of the experiment.

Research Participants Are Randomly Assigned to Different Groups in an Experiment