What type of design is characterized by comparing performance between treatment and control conditions?

The concept of comparing performance between treatment and control conditions is fundamental to experimental research design. This is precisely what the experimental group design aims to accomplish. In this type of design, participants are typically divided into at least two groups: one that receives the intervention (the treatment group) and one that does not (the control group).

This setup allows for a clear comparison of outcomes between those exposed to the treatment and those who are not, thereby isolating the effects of the treatment itself. The use of control conditions is essential to establishing causality, as it helps to determine whether observed changes are due to the intervention rather than other factors.

In contrast, different designs such as pre-test post-test, matched pairs, and case studies may not strictly isolate and compare treatment against a control condition in the same clear manner. For instance, a pre-test post-test design would involve measuring subjects before and after treatment but does not inherently include a control group for comparison. Matched pairs design aims to control for certain variables by matching participants but might not directly compare treatment and control in the same structured way. A case study design is typically focused on a detailed examination of a single subject or group and does not inherently include a control comparison.

Therefore, the defining characteristic of experimental