Final answer:
To control variation in a gaming experiment, ensure participants have similar gaming skills, use a standardized environment for testing, randomize music and input methods, and include a diverse participant group.
Step-by-step explanation:
To control variation in an experiment investigating how music affects people's ability to complete a video game and how they interact with the software using a mouse or touchpad, several measures can be implemented:
Ensure participants have a similar skill level in playing online games. This can be done by pre-screening participants to create groups with comparable abilities, whether they are experienced or inexperienced gamers.
Use a standardized environment for testing, such as the same computer, to eliminate variations in performance due to hardware differences.
Randomize the assignment of the type of music (soft music, hard rock, or none) and input method (mouse or touchpad) to control for selection bias and potential confounding variables.
Include a diverse group of participants with regard to gender, age, or other demographics as appropriate, to ensure the results are generalizable and to reduce the impact of individual differences.
By carefully designing the experiment and controlling for these variables, the game developer can more accurately assess the effect of music and input method on game performance.