What is a notable advantage of matched participants design?

The correct answer highlights that a notable advantage of a matched participants design is its ability to minimize extraneous variables stemming from participant differences. In this design, participants are paired based on key characteristics or variables that are relevant to the study, such as age, gender, or pre-existing conditions. By matching participants in this way, researchers can ensure that the groups being compared are similar on these important factors, thereby reducing the potential impact of these extraneous variables on the outcome of the study. This leads to more reliable and valid results, as any observed effects are more likely to be attributed to the independent variable being tested, rather than differences in the participant characteristics.

Other options do not accurately reflect the advantages of a matched participants design. For instance, a design that allows for greater variability among groups would typically be more characteristic of a different design approach, such as a between-subjects design where participants are not matched. Additionally, while fewer resources might imply a simpler design, matched participants can require more effort in terms of finding suitable matches, which may not necessarily mean fewer resources overall. Lastly, the statement about eliminating the need for pre-testing is misleading; while matched participants may reduce the necessity for extensive pre-testing, this design often still involves some level of testing to