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Control Condition
Definition
The control condition in an experimental design lacks any treatment or manipulation of the independent variable. People assigned to the control group serve as the basis of comparison for the people in the experimental condition. Everything in a control condition is the same as the experimental conditions except that the independent variable is absent or held constant. Assuming that the groups were equivalent prior to the treatment, any differences between the control condition and the experimental condition can be attributed to the effect of the independent variable.
Evidence and Implications
The control condition is designed to be equivalent to the experimental condition except for the independent variable, which is absent or held constant under its normal circumstances. Thus, the control condition provides a basis for comparison. The ...
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