Final answer:
The group referred to in the question is likely the control group, which in experimental design is used to compare against the experimental group to measure the impact of the independent variable.
Step-by-step explanation:
The group mentioned in the question, "Dr. Fietcher In addition to measuring the body concern of the participants who joined frat/sorority," most likely refers to the control group. In experimental design, researchers divide subjects with similar characteristics into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group is exposed to the independent variable(s), such as a particular treatment or condition, whereas the control group is not exposed to these variables. Across many studies in social sciences and psychology, having a control group is crucial as it establishes a baseline that can be compared with the experimental group to assess the effect of the experimental manipulation.
For instance, in a study examining the impact of tutoring, the experimental group would receive tutoring while the control group would not. The performance of both groups is then assessed to determine if there were any significant improvements attributable to the tutoring, independent of other factors. This setup helps researchers to infer cause-and-effect relationships by controlling for lurking variables and ensuring that experimenter bias does not influence the results.