What Is a Random Sample in Psychology?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsExamplesTypesChoosing a Random SamplePros and Cons

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Table of Contents

Examples

Types

Choosing a Random Sample

Pros and Cons

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It involves determining the target population, determining the number of participants you need, and then picking participants in a way that gives everyone an equal chance of being selected at random.

At a GlanceRandom sampling is important in psychology because it helps ensure that research samples are representative of the entire group. This sampling method can reduce bias, but it can also be costly and time-consuming to perform.Knowing more about how random sampling works can help you in your own studies and give you a better understanding of how research works and what it might mean about the larger population.

At a Glance

Random sampling is important in psychology because it helps ensure that research samples are representative of the entire group. This sampling method can reduce bias, but it can also be costly and time-consuming to perform.Knowing more about how random sampling works can help you in your own studies and give you a better understanding of how research works and what it might mean about the larger population.

Random sampling is important in psychology because it helps ensure that research samples are representative of the entire group. This sampling method can reduce bias, but it can also be costly and time-consuming to perform.

Knowing more about how random sampling works can help you in your own studies and give you a better understanding of how research works and what it might mean about the larger population.

Example of Random Sampling in Psychology

For example, if researchers were interested in learning aboutalcohol useamong college students in the United States, the larger population (in other words, the “group of interest”), would be made up of every kid in every college and university in the country.

It would be virtually impossible to interview each and every one of these people to find out if they drink, what types of alcohol they drink, how often, under what circumstances, how much (a beer or two per week versus enough to get intoxicated every weekend), and so forth.

Instead of undertaking such a monumental task, scientists will pull together a random sample of college students to represent the total population of college students.

Types of Random Sampling in Psychology

Random sampling can occur in a few different ways:

How Researchers Create Random Samples

Random sampling can be costly and time-consuming. However, this approach to gathering data for research does provide the best chance of putting together an unbiased sample that is truly representative of an entire group as a whole.

Returning to the imaginary study of alcohol use among college students, here’s how random sampling might work:

Determine the Total Population

According to the National Center for Education Statistics ( NCES), approximately 19.7 million students were enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities in 2020, the most recent statistics available.These 20 million individuals represent the total population to be studied.

Determine the Characteristics of the Population

For the purpose of drawing a random sample of this group, all students must have an equal chance of being selected. For example, scientists conducting the study would need to make sure that the sample included the same percentage of men and women as the larger population.

According to the NCES statistics, 11.3 million of the total population of college students are female, and 8.5 million are male. The sample group would need to reflect this same ratio of women to men.

Represent All Characteristics In the Random Sample

Besides gender, researchers would also want to go through the same process for other characteristics—for example, race, cultural background, year in school, socioeconomic status, and so forth, depending on the specific purpose of the study.

For instance, if they wanted to home in on alcohol use among Asian students, they would create a random sample consisting only of Asian students. By the same token, if the study were focused on how much students drink during the week, they would create a questionnaire or other method for finding only kids who drink on weekdays for their research.

Pros and Cons of Random Sampling in Psychology

The most significant benefit of random sampling is that it helps reduce the risk of bias. Researchers also suggest that it can improve statistical analysis and allow them to quantify non-responses.

The biggest downside of random sampling is that it can be difficult to obtain.

This type of sampling tends to be more costly in terms of money, time, and resources. Because of this, researchers sometimes have to utilize other sampling methods.

What This Means For YouWhen you read a health study based on a random sample, be aware that the findings are based not on every single person in the population that fit certain criteria, but on a subset of subjects chosen to represent them. This should help you put the study in perspective.

What This Means For You

When you read a health study based on a random sample, be aware that the findings are based not on every single person in the population that fit certain criteria, but on a subset of subjects chosen to represent them. This should help you put the study in perspective.

4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Elfil M, Negida A.Sampling methods in clinical research: An educational review.Emerg (Tehran). 2017;5(1):e52.Bornstein MH, Jager J, Putnick DL.Sampling in developmental science: Situations, shortcomings, solutions, and standards.Dev Rev. 2013;33(4):357-370. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2013.08.003National Center for Education Statistics.Fast Facts: Back to school statistics.Pierce M, McManus S, Jessop C, et al.Says who? The significance of sampling in mental health surveys during COVID-19.Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(7):567-568. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30237-6

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Elfil M, Negida A.Sampling methods in clinical research: An educational review.Emerg (Tehran). 2017;5(1):e52.Bornstein MH, Jager J, Putnick DL.Sampling in developmental science: Situations, shortcomings, solutions, and standards.Dev Rev. 2013;33(4):357-370. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2013.08.003National Center for Education Statistics.Fast Facts: Back to school statistics.Pierce M, McManus S, Jessop C, et al.Says who? The significance of sampling in mental health surveys during COVID-19.Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(7):567-568. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30237-6

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Elfil M, Negida A.Sampling methods in clinical research: An educational review.Emerg (Tehran). 2017;5(1):e52.Bornstein MH, Jager J, Putnick DL.Sampling in developmental science: Situations, shortcomings, solutions, and standards.Dev Rev. 2013;33(4):357-370. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2013.08.003National Center for Education Statistics.Fast Facts: Back to school statistics.Pierce M, McManus S, Jessop C, et al.Says who? The significance of sampling in mental health surveys during COVID-19.Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(7):567-568. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30237-6

Elfil M, Negida A.Sampling methods in clinical research: An educational review.Emerg (Tehran). 2017;5(1):e52.

Bornstein MH, Jager J, Putnick DL.Sampling in developmental science: Situations, shortcomings, solutions, and standards.Dev Rev. 2013;33(4):357-370. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2013.08.003

National Center for Education Statistics.Fast Facts: Back to school statistics.

Pierce M, McManus S, Jessop C, et al.Says who? The significance of sampling in mental health surveys during COVID-19.Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(7):567-568. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30237-6

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