between-subjects analysis of variance
an examination of the variance in a set of data obtained from a study in which a different group of participants is randomly assigned to each condition. In this procedure, the researcher determines how much of the variance in the obtained data is due to the influence of the variables under investigation and how much is due to random differences among the group members. For example, a researcher studying how amount of daily walking (e.g., none, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes) affects quality of sleep might divide participants into different groups that each walk for one of the specified lengths of time and then evaluate the results using a between-subjects analysis of variance. Compare within-subjects analysis of variance.