What is selective sampling?

What is selective sampling?

• A. Subjects with a random mix of conditions
• B. Random sampling from the general population
• C. Stratified sampling
• D. Subjects with a particular condition

Answer: (D)

Selective sampling means choosing participants who have a particular condition or trait to study. This is an intentional, nonrandom approach: researchers deliberately select individuals with the characteristic of interest rather than drawing a random sample from the broader population. It lets you focus deeply on how the condition presents or behaves, but it also means the results may not generalize to people without that condition or to the broader population. In this context, identifying subjects with a specific condition best captures selective sampling. The other options describe broader or random sampling methods that aim for representativeness or mix subjects with different conditions, which isn’t the same as focusing on a particular characteristic.

Selective sampling means choosing participants who have a particular condition or trait to study. This is an intentional, nonrandom approach: researchers deliberately select individuals with the characteristic of interest rather than drawing a random sample from the broader population. It lets you focus deeply on how the condition presents or behaves, but it also means the results may not generalize to people without that condition or to the broader population.

In this context, identifying subjects with a specific condition best captures selective sampling. The other options describe broader or random sampling methods that aim for representativeness or mix subjects with different conditions, which isn’t the same as focusing on a particular characteristic.