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Explain why the lack of a control condition in this study makes it difficult to comprehend whether the mindfulness application actually caused the decrease in stress. Describe what a control condition would look like in this specific study and how it resolves this issue.
Case context: A health psychologist wants to evaluate a new mindfulness application designed to reduce occupational stress in school teachers. They recruit a group of teachers, measure their stress levels, ask them to use the application daily for one month, and then measure their stress levels again. They observe a significant decrease in stress. However, the study does not include a control condition.
Question: Explain why the lack of a control condition in this study makes it difficult to comprehend whether the mindfulness application actually caused the decrease in stress. Describe what a control condition would look like in this specific study and how it resolves this issue.
Sample answer: Without a control condition, the psychologist cannot rule out other reasons for the stress reduction, such as the passage of time or external events. A control condition in this study would consist of a baseline group of teachers who do not use the mindfulness application. Comparing the stress outcomes of the untreated control group to the treatment group allows the researcher to comprehend if the application itself produced the positive change.
Key points:
- Explains that a control condition serves as an untreated baseline group.
- Identifies that the control group in this scenario would not use the mindfulness application.
- Explains that comparing outcomes between the two groups is necessary to show that the application caused the changes.
Rubric: The response must explain that a control condition provides a baseline to rule out alternative explanations. It must describe the control condition in this context as teachers who do not use the application, and explain that comparing outcomes determines if the treatment caused the change.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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