In psychological research, what is the main goal of using a random sample?

The main goal of using a random sample in psychological research is to achieve a representative sample of the population. This is crucial because a representative sample allows researchers to generalize their findings to the larger population with greater validity. When each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected, it reduces bias and increases the likelihood that the sample reflects the diversity and characteristics of the whole group. This is essential for drawing accurate conclusions and making reliable inferences based on the research data.

In contrast, the other options do not capture the primary purpose of random sampling. While saving time in data collection or limiting the number of participants may be practical considerations in some studies, they do not address the need for representative data. Ensuring replicability is important in research, but it is more related to study design and methodology than to the sampling technique itself.