Sample - GCSE Psychology Definition

In GCSE Psychology, a sample comprises a group of people selected from a larger population to take part in a study or experiment. Researchers use samples because it's not practical to study everyone in the entire target population. The sample should be similar to the population in important dimensions, such as age, gender, or education level, so the results can be generalised. A good sample helps ensure the study's findings are representative and reliable, as it reflects the diversity and characteristics of the whole population being studied.