Observational designs are characterized by which of the following regarding randomization?

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In observational studies, researchers simply observe and record what happens to people in real-world settings without assigning them to different exposure or treatment groups. Because there is no control over who receives what exposure, there is no random assignment of participants to comparison groups. Randomization is a hallmark of experimental designs, where the investigator actively assigns interventions to balance known and unknown confounders. Without random assignment, observational designs are more susceptible to confounding, and researchers rely on analytical techniques to try to adjust for these differences.