Which of the following statements about psychological experiments is MOST accurate?
A. The purpose of a single-blind experiment is to guarantee that neither the participants nor the experimenter influence the results.
B.The participant's expectations about an experiment do not influence results.
C.The placebo effect describes a change in a patient's illness or physical state that results solely from the medication administered.
D.Both the experimenter's expectations and the participant's expectations can influence the results of an experiment.
I'll be glad to check your answer.
To determine the most accurate statement about psychological experiments, let's analyze each option:
A. The purpose of a single-blind experiment is to guarantee that neither the participants nor the experimenter influence the results.
This statement is partially accurate but not completely precise. In a single-blind experiment, only the participants are unaware of certain information (such as the treatment they are receiving), while the experimenter knows. The purpose of this design is to prevent participant bias from influencing the results, but it does not ensure that the experimenter's bias is eliminated.
B. The participant's expectations about an experiment do not influence results.
This statement is incorrect. Participants' expectations can indeed influence the results of an experiment. For example, if participants have high expectations of a treatment having positive effects, they may perceive improvements regardless of the treatment's actual effectiveness.
C. The placebo effect describes a change in a patient's illness or physical state that results solely from the medication administered.
This statement is incorrect. The placebo effect refers to the phenomenon where a patient's condition improves due to their belief in receiving an effective treatment, regardless of whether the treatment is active or inert. It is not solely caused by the medication itself.
D. Both the experimenter's expectations and the participant's expectations can influence the results of an experiment.
This statement is the most accurate. Both the experimenter's and participant's expectations can influence the results of an experiment. Experimenter bias can affect the way they interpret and analyze the data, potentially leading to biased conclusions. Participant bias, characterized by their expectations, beliefs, or motivations, can impact their behavior and responses, thus influencing the outcomes of the experiment.
Therefore, the most accurate statement about psychological experiments is D: Both the experimenter's expectations and the participant's expectations can influence the results of an experiment.