A Participant in an Experiment Is Told That a Particular

question 39

Multiple Choice

A participant in an experiment is told that a particular pill should improve her performance on a cognitive task. The participant is then given the pill, and she performs better than usual on the task. In actuality, the pill did not contain any ingredients that would affect her performance on the task. The participant's improved performance was most likely due to

• A)the double-blind design.
• B)random variables.
• C)the placebo effect.
• D)confirmation bias.

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Definitions:

Positive Correlation

A relationship between two variables in which they both move in the same direction, meaning as one variable increases, the other variable also increases, and vice versa.

Case Studies

In-depth analyses of individual, group, event, or situation instances to explore causation and outcomes, often employed in social sciences and medicine.

Objectivity

The quality of being unbiased, impartial, or not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts.

Self-actualization

The realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potentialities, often considered as the motive to achieve the highest personal potential in Maslow's hierarchy of needs.