Read this article first, correlation and causation
https://acupunctureherbalmedicine.blogspot.com/2023/05/falsely-acclaimed-acupuncture-studies.html
Telling experimental study from observational study
Consider the following pickup lines:
- Line A: "I seem to have lost my phone number. Can I have yours?"
- Line B: "We're not socks, but I think we'd make a great pair."
- Line C: "Do you like Star Wars? Because Yoda is the only one for me!"
These lines can be classified as 'gentle and classy' (Line A) and 'funny and silly' (Line B). What is line C? It's just my personal favorite.
To gauge their efficacy, researchers organized a study with 10 volunteers at a bar.
- In the first experiment, participants were randomly divided into two groups. Half were assigned to use Line A, while the other half used Line B. In this instance, Line B proved to be more successful than Line A.
- For the second experiment, the volunteers were free to choose either Line A or Line B to use. In this case, Line A emerged more successful than Line B.
- In a third scenario, researchers observed participants in their attempt to engage a partner with a pickup line of their choice. Upon leaving, participants were asked about the type of lines they used. Based on their responses, they were divided into two categories: 'gentle and classy' and 'funny and silly'. The results showed that those who used 'gentle and classy' lines had a higher success rate.
Subsequent observations revealed that good-looking individuals tended to opt for the 'gentle and classy' approach (Study 3) or Line A (Study 2) more frequently.
First, try to determine whether each study is an observational study or an experimental study. They all resemble experiments in the general sense.
"Is there forceful assignment by the researcher against the participants' will?"
This question helps to determine if the analytical (or comparative) study is an experiment or an observation. Observational studies are those where the researcher documents a naturally occurring relationship between the exposure and the outcome being studied. The researcher does not actively intervene in any individual, and the exposure has already occurred naturally. Interventional studies are experiments where the researcher actively performs an intervention on some or all members of a group of participants. This intervention could take many forms – for example, administration of a drug or vaccine, performance of a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure.
In evaluating these studies, we can classify the first as an experimental study. This is because the researchers actively intervened, assigning specific pickup lines to the participants. In contrast, Study 3 is an observational study. These studies involved no forceful assignment by the researcher; rather, participants chose the lines or approach based on their preferences. In these cases, the researchers were merely documenting the naturally occurring relationship between the chosen lines or styles and their success rate. Study 2 may look like an experiment, but if there was no assignment by the researcher and the participants decided based on their nature, it is also an observational study. It's important to note that both Studies 2 and 3 are potentially subject to bias, as they don't account for the possibility that good-looking men may not need to resort to humor.
In modern medical research, random assignment is a crucial aspect of experimental studies. As indicated in the taxonomy diagram, a study without random assignment is not classified as non-randomized experimental study. What if the first study was conducted without randomization, but the researchers decided who would use Line A or B based on their own preference? It is considered an experimental study but not randomized experiment.
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Further thought fodder
For example, consider looking at the incidence of lung cancer in smokers versus non-smokers, or comparing the antenatal dietary habits of mothers with normal and low-birth-weight babies. In these studies, the investigator did not play any role in determining the smoking or dietary habits of individuals. Therefore, these are observational studies.
Then, you might wonder, how can we conduct an experimental study in such scenarios? Experimental studies are typically carried out when it's ethical and feasible for the researcher to control and manipulate the variables of interest. For instance, it wouldn't be ethical to assign individuals to smoking or non-smoking groups to study the effects on lung cancer incidence because of the known harm associated with smoking. Similarly, it's not ethical or practical to control the dietary habits of expectant mothers to study the effects on birth weight. However, in cases where the intervention is believed to be beneficial or neutral, and it's feasible to control the variables of interest, researchers can conduct experimental studies. For example, a researcher might conduct an experimental study on the effect of different diet plans or exercise regimes on weight loss. Participants can be randomly assigned to follow a specific diet plan or exercise regime, and the researcher can then compare the outcomes across the different groups. In these cases, the researcher controls the intervention, and therefore these studies are classified as experimental studies.
Final Test
How can you prove the fact, "Barking dogs seldom bite" through experimental study? Please remember you need to prove 'barking or non-barking' cause 'biting or non-biting', it is called causation. Very rarely my students get the right answer. try me.
If you didn't watch this movie, try it. It is my favorite form director Bong, who directed the acclaimed movie 'Parasite'.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0269743/