In an experiment, the control group consists of subjects who are not introduced to the independent variable by the researcher. This group serves as a baseline for comparison to the experimental group, which does receive the independent variable. By comparing the outcomes of the control group with those of the experimental group, researchers can determine the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. The control group helps to isolate the impact of the intervention or treatment being studied by accounting for other factors that might influence the results. Random assignment of subjects to the control and experimental groups is crucial for ensuring that the groups are as similar as possible at the beginning of the experiment, thereby increasing the validity of the findings.