Which of the following is essential for an experiment to establish a cause-and-effect relationship?

Establishment of temporal precedence is crucial for an experiment to determine a cause-and-effect relationship because it ensures that the cause occurs before the effect. In order to claim that one variable influences another, it must be demonstrated that changes in the independent variable precede any changes in the dependent variable. This temporal order helps to establish a directional relationship where the independent variable is shown to be responsible for any subsequent changes observed in the dependent variable.

The manipulation of variables is also important, as it helps to set up conditions under which the effect can be observed. However, without ensuring that the cause comes before the effect, researchers cannot confidently claim that the manipulation is responsible for the observed changes. This temporal aspect is a fundamental characteristic of experimental design that strengthens the validity of the research findings regarding causation.

While random participation and elimination of extraneous variables contribute to the integrity and reliability of the experimental process, they do not directly ensure that a cause-and-effect relationship can be established. They help to control for biases and confounding variables but are not sufficient on their own to confirm causality without the clear temporal order being established.