t-Test for dependent samples - purpose

Specifically, if two groups of observations (that are to be compared) are based on the same sample of subjects who were tested twice (example, before and after a treatment), a considerable part of the within-group variation in both groups of scores can be attributed to the initial individual differences between subjects. Note that, in a sense, this fact is not much different than in cases when the two groups are entirely independent (see t-test for independent samples), where individual differences also contribute to the error variance; but in the case of independent samples, we cannot do anything about it because we cannot identify (or "subtract") the variation due to individual differences in subjects. However, if the same sample was tested twice, then we can easily identify (or "subtract") this variation. Specifically, instead of treating each group separately, and analyzing raw scores, we can look only at the differences between the two measures (example, "pre test" and "post test") in each subject.

By subtracting the first score from the second for each subject and then analyzing only those "pure (paired) differences," we can exclude the entire part of the variation in our data set that results from unequal base levels of individual subjects. This is precisely what is being done in the t-test for dependent samples, and, as compared to the t-test for independent samples, it always produces better results (that is, it is always more sensitive).