Statistics Ch4: Observations and Experiments

Front

What is a control group in an experiment?

Back

A control group is a randomly selected group of subjects that receives no treatment, a placebo, or an established treatment, used for comparison against the experimental group.

Front

What is a placebo?

Back

A placebo is a sham or empty treatment that appears to be the real treatment to the subjects of an experiment.

Front

What does double blind mean in an experiment?

Back

Double blind refers to an experiment where both the subjects and the evaluators are unaware of which subjects are receiving the treatment and which are receiving a placebo.

Front

What are subjects in an experiment?

Back

Subjects are the available group of people (or animals, plants, or objects) to which treatments are applied in an experiment.

Front

What is an observational study?

Back

An observational study is a statistical study in which the conditions to be compared are already present in the subjects that are observed.

Front

What is the purpose of random selection in experiments?

Back

Random selection helps ensure that the sample is representative of the population, reducing bias and allowing for generalization of results.

Front

What is a response variable?

Back

A response variable is the outcome that is measured in an experiment to see if it is affected by the treatment.

Front

What is a lurking variable?

Back

A lurking variable is an unobserved variable that influences both the independent and dependent variables, potentially confounding the results.

Front

What is the difference between an experiment and an observational study?

Back

An experiment involves manipulating one or more variables to determine their effect on a response variable, while an observational study involves observing subjects without manipulation.

Front

What is the significance of blinding in experiments?

Back

Blinding reduces bias in experiments by preventing subjects and/or evaluators from knowing which treatment is being administered.