What is a control group in experimental design?

In experimental design, a control group serves as a baseline for comparison against the experimental group, which is the group that receives the treatment being tested. This group does not receive the treatment, thus allowing researchers to observe the effects of the treatment by contrasting it with the outcomes in the experimental group. By comparing results, scientists can determine whether any changes in the experimental group are attributable to the treatment or to other factors.

This comparison is crucial for validating the effectiveness of the treatment and ensuring that any observed effects are indeed due to it rather than external variables. The control group essentially helps establish a cause-and-effect relationship and can provide insight into how other uncontrolled variables may influence the study’s results.