The main purpose of using random assignment in a research study is to ______.
A) increase the ability to make cause-effect inferences between variables
B) increase the external validity of a study
C) increase the ability to generalize the results of a study to a larger population
D) make the sample resemble the population as closely as possible

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Random assignment helps to reduce the influence of extraneous variables and increase the likelihood that differences between groups are due to the independent variable being manipulated. This strengthens the ability to make cause-effect inferences between variables.

The Main Purpose of Using Random Assignment in a Research