control group

[kuhn-trohl groop]

noun

1. (in an experiment or clinical trial) a group of subjects closely resembling the treatment group in many demographic variables but not receiving the active medication or factor under study and thereby serving as a comparison group when treatment results are evaluated.

control group

noun

1. any group used as a control in a statistical experiment, esp a group of patients who receive either a placebo or a standard drug during an investigation of the effects of another drug on other patients

Word History and Origins

Origin of control group¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

According to the yearlong study published this month, of the unhoused people who received the cash stipend, 48% exited homelessness, compared with 43% in a control group of homeless individuals who did not receive money.

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Participants were randomly assigned to either the BrainHQ program or an active control group that played recreational computer games.

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Researchers studying three groups of people -- individuals with autism, those with fetal alcohol syndrome, and a "neurotypical" control group -- found that cognitive ability strongly influenced how well participants understood speech in noisy conditions.

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Because the study included a control group that underwent a simulated treatment, researchers were able to clearly separate genuine treatment effects from placebo responses, which are common in osteoarthritis trials.

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On average, they lost 3.3 kg and 3.6 cm from their waist, compared to 0.6 kg and 0.3 cm in the control group.

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