The experiment proceeded as normal, with the experimental group hearing about the potential presence of a gun as the confederates left the study and the control group not hearing about the gun. Unfortunately, word spread around campus about a man with a gun who stole a laptop during a study. Unknown to the study researchers, many potential participants participated in the research anyway, and kept an eye out for a gun, knowing that they might be asked about it. The researchers found that those in the experimental group did not differ from those in the control group about the likelihood of a gun. That is, the mean score that a gun was present during the second interview was similar for the experimental group (M = 67%, SD = 12.4%) and the control group (M = 63%, SD = 11.16%). Maturation
Regression to the mean
Selection
Mortality
Instrumentation
Testing
History
Interactions
Diffusion
No Threat