Short Answer

In the example of the office worker, why is it critical that the goal-setting treatment is introduced for the sales calls and report writing at different times rather than simultaneously? Briefly explain in one to three sentences.

Question: In the example of the office worker, why is it critical that the goal-setting treatment is introduced for the sales calls and report writing at different times rather than simultaneously? Briefly explain in one to three sentences.

Sample answer: Introducing the treatment at different times allows the researcher to isolate the effect of the treatment on each specific behavior. If the treatment were applied simultaneously and productivity increased on both tasks, the improvement could be due to a confounding variable rather than the treatment itself. The staggered introduction demonstrates that the behavior changes only when the treatment is applied, ruling out alternative explanations.

Key points:

  • Isolates the effect of the treatment.
  • Rules out alternative explanations or confounding variables.
  • Demonstrates that behavior change is specifically tied to the timing of the treatment application.

Rubric: The answer should analyze the purpose of the staggered introduction, noting that it helps rule out alternative explanations or confounding variables that might affect both behaviors simultaneously.

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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