crossover design

a study in which different treatments are applied to the same individuals but in different sequences. In the most basic crossover design, a group of participants receives Treatment A followed by Treatment B whereas a second group receives Treatment B followed by Treatment A. For example, a researcher could use such a design to assess the effect of attending a day service on stroke survivors, randomly assigning participants to one of two groups, the first of which would attend the service for 6 months and then not attend for 6 months, and the second of which would not attend the service for 6 months and then would attend for 6 months. As with within-subjects designs, the benefit of this design is the reduction in error variance. Also called crossover study; crossover trial. Compare parallel-groups design. See also Graeco-Latin square; Latin square.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

May 10th 2024

collective guilt

1. an unpleasant emotional state involving a shared realization that one’s group or social unit has violated ethical or social principles, together with associated feelings of regret. Collective guilt is more likely when members of a group (a) strongly identify with that group, (b) feel a sense of control over or responsibility for the negative actions of other members, and (c) recognize the group’s actions are illegitimate.

2. the idea that members of a group may be held responsible for violations of norms or laws committed by other members of the same group. See group fallacy; guilt by association.