Active Control vs Passive Control in Randomized Controlled Trials | What's the Difference?

One of the critical decisions that researchers make when designing a controlled trial is the choice of the control: what should be the control group? The answer depends on what we're interested in testing. The distinction I make here is an important one to keep in mind.
0:00 An under-appreciated distinction.
0:34 What is a passive control group?
1:36 What is an active control group?
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REFERENCES
A good explanation of the difference between passive control groups and active control groups begins on page 116, here: Simons, D. J., Boot, W. R., Charness, N., Gathercole, S. E., Chabris, C. F., Hambrick, D. Z., & Stine-Morrow, E. A. L. (2016). Do “Brain-Training” Programs Work? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(3), 103-186. doi.org/10.1177/1529100616661983

[@GustavoSilva-ny8jc]

1:20 That example is fricking amazing. It's like showing the flaw in the Deduction method

[@BucephalusHume]

What it's really showing is how researchers can attribute to much deductive power to inferential methods. Truly deductive methods are almost impossible in social science. There's almost always a level of inference required. That's why RCTs and lots of research showing the same results are so important for validity. But, the studies giving these results need to be comparable, and RCTs have their own issues, they're not always the most ecologically valid.

[@LuisMBaez-vk1bz]

Can you do a video on mind-mapping? Justin Sung says it’s one of the best strategies for learning and when I tried it out I found that it fosters my natural tendency to process information deeply. But I’m not sure if I’m using it correctly. Last question: How would you use free recall with a conventional economics textbook?

[@samanshabani4471]

could you please make a comprehensive learning/study system? a video would be wonderful! Something that would go through the pre-learning stages, the lectures, the practice after, how to learn from textbooks to do some contextual variability in terms of learning sources, and finally, how to prepare for the exams that come after it. Ik that you have videos surrounding most of these topics but I was wondering if you'd be able to make one comprehensive guide. I would be more than happy to pay for something like that!! Thanks!

[@benjaminkeep]

Working on it! Just did a big move and it's going to be a little while. But it's been on my mind for sure. Thanks for the support!

[@samanshabani4471]

@@benjaminkeep Appreciate the reply. Thanks for your dedication in helping us understand learning better!

[@trillionman2105]

Thank god I found your channel

[@wisteria4360]

Awesome video, I loved your merry jig xD! This topic is quite interesting. It sort of reminds me of my school days where we would learn about independent, dependent, control and etc variables

[@benjaminkeep]

Yes, I keep meaning to do more on methods, and I have several videos planned... but no one really wants to hear about them.. : )

[@abhishekrana2733]

Dude your content is brilliant. Keep up the good work. 👍🏻

[@51V18]

I understand making quality content takes time, just hope this isn’t the end of your channel.

[@werm3169]

In another comment he explained that he had a big move, so I reckon that's a contributing factor to the lack of content. He's posted a new video since this video though!

[@FUTURE_XD]

Love your videos!

[@toxicleaguex5546]

Do a video on reading comprehension I think it would be very helpful & relevant- thank yoh

[@pablosilva10127]

Hi Benjamin! It would be amazing if do a course about studying. You have the background and explain everything very well

[@arjk5878]

Awesome video. I have learned a lot from you. By any chance do you know what causes tension headaches when studying? I haven’t found many useful science based videos or explanations. Other than the, “need glasses” or “stay hydrated”.

[@serhatkuk4180]

Hello benjamin, I would like to ask you a few question about learning, especially engineering subjects: How many study hours should I study for a class that has 3 hour per week lectures? And also, how should I divide the time between reading textbooks /notes, free recall and problem solving? Is 50 percent problem solving too much? Is 70 percent reading too much ? What happens when the textbook is too lengty? (We had texbook in electrical engineering undergrad that was like 500+ pages. For studying 500 page textbook in a 3 month period (reading alone, not counting free recall) it would mean around 41 pages per week. If I read 10 pages an hour that would make me spend 4 hours on textbook reading alone, hence why I ask how many hours to study at the beginning). Assuming above calculation is correct, and I do 1 hours of free recall and 1 hour of problem solving, that makes 6 hours at the minimum.Are these numbers too low, too high? Thanks in advance, keep up the good work. Best regards

[@alulim6964]

Hi Benjamin. I was trying to find something on your channel about improving verbal reasoning for native speakers, but couldn't (point me to it in this case). For example, say I am a college educated, native English speaker. Does this mean that I have reached close to the limit of my verbal reasoning in English? Here I am talking about general verbal reasoning ability, rather than an expertise in a narrow field (like some philosophy branch).

[@GustavoSilva-ny8jc]

1:59 Can you do a video on imaginative practice? I remember when workout i had to try hard to not think in training or volleyball or to not move my body while doing so, and i was sure i was doing that csuse i COULD FEEL THE PAIN!!!

[@rememberrooga9509]

Trying to learn the best way possible and studying materials I’m currently getting my BS in Computer Science and I am so ready and excited I want to be at the top of my class

[@mijaelmarcelovillarroelchu6513]

Hello, I recently listened to a seminar on 4 techniques or tricks to improve grades from the icanstudy group, I haven't put them into practice yet but I would like you to recommend some of your videos that help me improve my memory and reading ability, in addition to telling me if it is convenient for me to invest in the courses offered by icantudy since I plan to take the courses after graduating from high school

[@hellobro7134]

Hello nice video

[@arturaras617]

Question (not related to this video): Statement: The left and the right part of the brain have different functions. The left end the right eye is actually connected to the left or right part of the brain seperatly. Is learning process affected by reading or learning something only with one eye? Like math information goes into the right part of the brain but it would be better if the left part of the brain would process this information. Can you make a video to that? I tried to find information on this but never found something.

[@savitapaul6567]

Please provide some tips for learning mathematics through questions and problem solving and especially if you have to solve 100s of mathematical questions just to attain mastery, and replicate it for multiple chapters *btw* I'm specifically asking in the context of preparing for JEE Advanced examination 🙏🙏

[@sparthabrainofiq2195]

please make a study skills course

[@maryo1065]

Sorry not related to your video. I just watched veritasium’s video on “IQ”. And I just feel hopeless. Like I’ll never be able to understand complex topics like set theory or group theory, and synthesize information. I’ll always be stupid. And it just sucks. I want to learn but it’s so difficult to.

[@tisaname8490]

You should think about IQ in the context of dealing with completely new things generally, you vs a person with higher IQ solving a new problem, or noticing new patterns in something completely new, the higher IQ person should be faster, ..., you'll likely be slower, doesn't mean you can't solve it though. And this doesn't mean you can't get good at a subject or topic or not reach an expert's level in a given subject or topic. Topics, subjects tend to have deep, implicit skills and patterns that your brain can learn and it is supposed to learn that. For example, that experts in chess are not necessarily people that have higher IQ than others, there's basically no correlation with IQ and chess skill. And you seem to have very specific goals, you want to study complex topics in mathematics, and mathematics is full of skills you can improve on, and you can become very good at mathematics, even in those topics you mentioned. So go study, practice, watch Benjamin's videos on "why rote learning is bad", "active learning", "common "obstacle to effective studying", "deliberate practice", "learning by doing", "desirable difficulties", these videos will help your brain learn effectively even faster. ------------- None of what I said above is made up. But here's my subjective opinion below: My view of IQ is basically how much of the deep processing, connecting dots is being automatically done by the brain, the higher the IQ the more of that dot connecting thing should be happening automatically already in any topic, any subject. But I believe in subject-level, topic-level, the more you learn, understand topic deeply, learning to ask high-level questions (very important), the more you learn to develop deep processing and actively think deeply for a particular subject and I think eventually you will be able to compete with a person with high IQ in the *same subject*.

[@notgate2624]

Oh I didn't see this in my sub feed? Maybe that happened to others? Might be why your comments are more recent.

[@benjaminkeep]

I accidentally released it early. I had forgotten I scheduled it many months in advance, hoping to have more basic stuff on research design up, but I've been moving and got caught up with other things. That's why the upload date might list the original upload. Anyhow - sorry for any confusion!

[@mila9162]

Hello Ben! I am a struggling student who is horrible at math. I am terrified at the prospect of failing calculus this year, and the study advice I find on the internet always contradicts itself. I will pay $40 if you would be willing to have a brief call where we’d create a study plan based on the individual problems I’ve noticed after many years of studying and still performing poorly. If you would be interested, I can offer my contact information.