In a factorial design, what is defined as a "cell"?

In a factorial design, a "cell" refers to a combination of levels of the independent variables. This means that if you have two or more independent variables, each with different levels, a cell represents a specific condition in which those variables interact. For example, if you have one independent variable with two levels (A1 and A2) and another independent variable with two levels (B1 and B2), the cells would be the combinations: (A1, B1), (A1, B2), (A2, B1), and (A2, B2). Each of these cells reflects a unique condition of the experiment where the effects of the independent variables can be examined, providing insights into how they work individually and in conjunction with one another.

The other options do not accurately define what a cell is in the context of factorial designs. While categories of participants or specific levels of an independent variable are important components of a study, they do not encapsulate the concept of a cell, which is specifically about the interaction of levels from multiple independent variables. Likewise, a result derived from the overall dataset pertains to outcome measures and is separate from the structural setup represented by cells.