How cage effects can hurt statistical analyses of completely randomized designs.

Abstract

Cage effects: some researchers worry about them, some don't, and some aren't even aware of them. When statistical analyses do not account for cage effects, there is real reason to worry. Regardless of researchers' worries or lack thereof, all researchers should be aware of how cage effects can affect the results. The "how" depends, in part, on the experimental design. Here, I (a) define cage effects; (b) illustrate a completely randomized design (CRD) often used in animal experiments; (c) explain how statistical significance is artificially inflated when cage effects are ignored and (d) give guidance on proper analyses and on how to increase statistical power in CRDs.