Question

(p. 209-210, 212) Explain how the procedures for conducting a matched groups design and a natural groups design differ from the random groups design.

A matched groups design often is used when the number of participants available for an experiment is too few for random assignment to balance effectively individual differences across conditions of the experiment (as in the random groups design). Instead, the researcher chooses a matching variable preferably the dependent variable measure or a similar variable and matches participants who have the same or similar score on the measure. Once matched, these pairs (triplets, etc.) of participants are randomly assigned to the conditions of the experiment. In a natural groups design, researchers select an individual differences variable for comparing groups of participants (e.g., male, female). Thus, rather than attempting to balance these individual differences (as in the random groups design), the researcher examines participants' responses on the dependent variable as a function of the individual differences independent variable.

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