A researcher designed an investigation to evaluate the effectiveness of different psychological interventions for individuals diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Thirty-six participants, all clinically diagnosed with GAD, were recruited for the study. At the start of the research, the investigator used a self-report diary to record the daily frequency of worry episodes experienced by each participant.
The 36 participants were then randomly allocated to three groups of 12:
At the end of the 8-week period, the investigator recorded the daily frequency of worry episodes again. The mean frequency of worry episodes decreased significantly in Group 1 and Group 2, whereas the mean frequency in Group 3 demonstrated no meaningful change.
Explain one way in which the researcher could have randomly allocated the participants to the three groups.
Practise AQA A Level Psychology Scientific processes with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 689 questions, matched to the AQA A Level Psychology (7182) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
