What is a characteristic of group research design?

A characteristic of group research design is that participants are randomly assigned to groups. This random assignment is crucial because it helps ensure that each group is comparable at the start of the experiment. It minimizes bias and increases the likelihood that any observed effects in the dependent variable can be attributed to the treatment or intervention being studied, rather than pre-existing differences among participants.

In contrast, the focus on a single measure of the dependent variable or the potential to modify the design after implementation does not align with the principles of rigorous group research design. While individual behaviors might be observed, the primary emphasis in group research is on the behavior or outcomes of the groups as a whole, rather than on individual cases. Random assignment plays a key role in establishing strong internal validity in the findings derived from the research.