Final answer:
Process variation is the difference between an observed event and a norm. In a pharmaceutical study, differences due to the drug would be 'induced variability.' This contrasts with 'natural' and 'sample variability,' which result from inherent differences and sampling methods, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between an observed event and a standard or norm is referred to as process variation. In the context of the pharmaceutical company study with a control and a treatment group, the differences in blood pressure outcomes between the two groups could be attributed to induced variability. This type of variability arises because an artificial element, in this case, the new drug, has been introduced into the treatment group, causing a variation in outcomes that would not have occurred naturally. It's important to contrast this with natural variability, which stems from inherent differences within a population, and sample variability, which can occur when drawing multiple samples from the same population.
For instance, if we took different groups of people to measure blood pressure, the variations in their readings could point to sample variability. Similarly, the range of traits within a population, such as the fur colors in dogs, is an example of population variation, which is often due to natural gene variations and can be a factor in natural selection. Measurement variability, another form, might arise if different instruments or methods are used to gather data leading to variations that are attributable to measurement techniques rather than the actual differences being studied.