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Control Group Definition and Examples
The control group is the set of subjects that does not receive the treatment in a study. In other words, it is the group where the independent variable is held constant. This is important because the control group is a baseline for measuring the effects of a treatment in an experiment or study. A controlled experiment is one which includes one or more control groups.
- The experimental group experiences a treatment or change in the independent variable. In contrast, the independent variable is constant in the control group.
- A control group is important because it allows meaningful comparison. The researcher compares the experimental group to it to assess whether or not there is a relationship between the independent and dependent variable and the magnitude of the effect.
- There are different types of control groups. A controlled experiment has one more control group.
Control Group vs Experimental Group
The only difference between the control group and experimental group is that subjects in the experimental group receive the treatment being studied, while participants in the control group do not. Otherwise, all other variables between the two groups are the same.
Control Group vs Control Variable
A control group is not the same thing as a control variable. A control variable or controlled variable is any factor that is held constant during an experiment. Examples of common control variables include temperature, duration, and sample size. The control variables are the same for both the control and experimental groups.
Types of Control Groups
There are different types of control groups:
- Placebo group : A placebo group receives a placebo , which is a fake treatment that resembles the treatment in every respect except for the active ingredient. Both the placebo and treatment may contain inactive ingredients that produce side effects. Without a placebo group, these effects might be attributed to the treatment.
- Positive control group : A positive control group has conditions that guarantee a positive test result. The positive control group demonstrates an experiment is capable of producing a positive result. Positive controls help researchers identify problems with an experiment.
- Negative control group : A negative control group consists of subjects that are not exposed to a treatment. For example, in an experiment looking at the effect of fertilizer on plant growth, the negative control group receives no fertilizer.
- Natural control group : A natural control group usually is a set of subjects who naturally differ from the experimental group. For example, if you compare the effects of a treatment on women who have had children, the natural control group includes women who have not had children. Non-smokers are a natural control group in comparison to smokers.
- Randomized control group : The subjects in a randomized control group are randomly selected from a larger pool of subjects. Often, subjects are randomly assigned to either the control or experimental group. Randomization reduces bias in an experiment. There are different methods of randomly assigning test subjects.
Control Group Examples
Here are some examples of different control groups in action:
Negative Control and Placebo Group
For example, consider a study of a new cancer drug. The experimental group receives the drug. The placebo group receives a placebo, which contains the same ingredients as the drug formulation, minus the active ingredient. The negative control group receives no treatment. The reason for including the negative group is because the placebo group experiences some level of placebo effect, which is a response to experiencing some form of false treatment.
Positive and Negative Controls
For example, consider an experiment looking at whether a new drug kills bacteria. The experimental group exposes bacterial cultures to the drug. If the group survives, the drug is ineffective. If the group dies, the drug is effective.
The positive control group has a culture of bacteria that carry a drug resistance gene. If the bacteria survive drug exposure (as intended), then it shows the growth medium and conditions allow bacterial growth. If the positive control group dies, it indicates a problem with the experimental conditions. A negative control group of bacteria lacking drug resistance should die. If the negative control group survives, something is wrong with the experimental conditions.
- Bailey, R. A. (2008). Design of Comparative Experiments . Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-68357-9.
- Chaplin, S. (2006). “The placebo response: an important part of treatment”. Prescriber . 17 (5): 16–22. doi: 10.1002/psb.344
- Hinkelmann, Klaus; Kempthorne, Oscar (2008). Design and Analysis of Experiments, Volume I: Introduction to Experimental Design (2nd ed.). Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-72756-9.
- Pithon, M.M. (2013). “Importance of the control group in scientific research.” Dental Press J Orthod . 18 (6):13-14. doi: 10.1590/s2176-94512013000600003
- Stigler, Stephen M. (1992). “A Historical View of Statistical Concepts in Psychology and Educational Research”. American Journal of Education . 101 (1): 60–70. doi: 10.1086/444032
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