For which of the following situations would a repeated-measures research design be
appropriate?
a. comparing mathematical skills for girls versus boys at age 10
b. comparing pain tolerance with and without acupuncture needles
c. comparing self-esteem for students who participate in school athletics versus those
who do not
d. comparing verbal solving skills for science majors versus art majors at a college
b. comparing pain tolerance with and without acupuncture needles
To determine which situation would be appropriate for a repeated-measures research design, let's first understand what a repeated-measures design entails.
In a repeated-measures design, also known as a within-subjects design, the same participants are tested or measured under different conditions or at different time points. This allows researchers to compare the participants' responses before and after a treatment, intervention, or exposure. Repeated-measures designs are useful for studying within-subject changes, minimizing individual differences, and increasing statistical power.
Now, let's examine each situation in the context of a repeated-measures design:
a. Comparing mathematical skills for girls versus boys at age 10: In this situation, a repeated-measures design would not be appropriate. It would require testing the same group of individuals (either girls or boys) multiple times, which goes against the purpose of comparing two different groups.
b. Comparing pain tolerance with and without acupuncture needles: This situation could potentially be suitable for a repeated-measures design. By measuring pain tolerance in the same individuals under two conditions (with and without acupuncture needles), researchers could directly compare the effects of the treatment on each participant.
c. Comparing self-esteem for students who participate in school athletics versus those who do not: A repeated-measures design may not be ideal for this situation. Instead, a between-subjects design, which involves comparing two different groups of participants (athletes and non-athletes), would likely be more appropriate.
d. Comparing verbal solving skills for science majors versus art majors at a college: This situation could utilize a repeated-measures design. By testing the same group of individuals (science and art majors) on their verbal solving skills, researchers could assess within-subject differences and directly compare the performance of the participants.
In summary, the situation that would be appropriate for a repeated-measures research design is option d, comparing verbal solving skills for science majors versus art majors at a college. The other situations would likely require different designs, such as between-subjects designs, to accurately address the research questions.
A repeated-measures research design would be appropriate for situation b. comparing pain tolerance with and without acupuncture needles.
In a repeated-measures design, the same subjects are used in each condition of the experiment. In this situation, the pain tolerance of individuals would be measured both with and without acupuncture needles, using the same individuals as subjects. This design allows for direct comparisons within the same subjects, which can help minimize individual differences and increase statistical power.