Comparing Conditioned And Unconditioned Groups

A control group is a necessity in order to prove the effect of the test variable by comparing conditioned and unconditioned groups. A conditioned group is a group who receives the independent variable. An unconditioned group does not receive the independent variable. In this experiment we are testing the effects of cell phone usage on driving skills. In this case, the control group gives us an example of what happens when drivers are focusing on the road. The results from the control group will show us what happens when the driver is not distracted, so that we may determine how talking on our cell phone while driving impacts our ability to drive. Without the control group, we would have data on only the drivers who use cell phones, but none
on those who drive with full attention. If that were the case we would be unable to compare our observations to what would be considered normal conditions.
We should select and assign all subjects randomly. Random assignment ensures that there are no pre-existing conditions within each group that could alter the study. Random selection ensures that we select the subject from a relatively accurate representation of the overall population. For example, if we were to obtain a group through random selection and divide that group into men and women and not randomly assign the subjects, we would add another variable to the experiment. In this case, the variable would be gender. Random assignment would help us to avoid this problem, assuming we had both men and women in my participation pool. If each participant were randomly placed in a condition, the odds of all of them being women are incredibly insubstantial. This same principle applies to other unintended variables, making random selection an experimental must.
It is necessary to control all variables in our experiment except the independent variable. A great way to carry out this goal is by holding our experiment in a driving simulator. Simulators are easily capable of controlling the environments within experiments, and the environment around the car is a critical part of any experiment involving driving. In the real world, conditions change drastically throughout the day. Weather, road conditions, traffic, other drivers, et cetera can drastically impact the way we drive. By holding our experiment in a controlled lab setting we can manage and control most of these variables, allowing us to focus on our singular independent variable.