Sample mean differences can be caused by ______.
A) the effect
B) sampling error
C) the effect and sampling error
D) neither effect nor sampling errors

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sample mean differences can be caused by the effect of the independent variable (treatment or intervention) and sampling error (natural variation in the sample). Therefore, choice C is the correct option. The effect is the systematic influence of the independent variable on the dependent variable, whereas sampling error is the chance variation that occurs when different random samples are selected from the same population. It is essential to control for both sources of variability in research to ensure the internal validity of the study.

Sample Mean Differences Can Be Caused by ______