Question

What is the purpose of assigning individuals to groups in order to balance a specific variable across the groups?

1) To ensure fairness and equal representation
2) To create a control group for experimentation
3) To increase diversity within each group
4) To minimize the impact of confounding variables

Answer 1

Random assignment is used to minimize the impact of confounding variables and ensure unbiased results.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of assigning individuals to groups in order to balance a specific variable across the groups is to minimize the impact of confounding variables. Random assignment ensures that there are no systematic differences between the groups, such as gender, ethnicity, or religious ideology, which could affect the results of the experiment. By balancing the variable across the groups, researchers can be more confident that any differences observed between the groups are a result of the independent variable being manipulated.