Swedish researchers concluded that viewing and discussing art soothes the soul and helps relieve medical conditions such as high blood pressure and constipation. This conclusion was based on a study in which 20 elderly women gathered once a week to discuss different works of art. The study also included a control group of 20 elderly women who met once a week to discuss their hobbies and interests. At the end of 4 months, the art discussion group was found to have a more positive attitude, to have lower blood pressure, and to use fewer laxatives than the control group.

Required:
a. Why would it be important to determine if the researchers assigned the women participating in the study at random to one of the two groups?
b. Explain why you think that the researchers included a control group in this study.

Respuesta :

Step-by-step explanation:

1. By assigning women at random. It would make these 2 groups comparable abc the result from the research or investigation would be more useful and valid. It is very important that there are two comparable groups.

2. A control group is useful in comparing both groups. It would help us to check if there's really an effect or if there is none. If all women were in in art group then all would likely make improvements and there would be no means of verifying this.