Katherine is a researcher who is interested in examining the effect of caffeine on driving performance. In order to rule out a change in behavior brought about because of participants' expectations about the effect of caffeine, she should use a(n) _____.

A) straightforward manipulation
B) balanced placebo design
C) experimental group
D) staged manipulation

Question

Justin Cardani · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : B, Explanation :  In a balanced placebo design, participants are divided into four groups: those who receive the actual drug, those who receive a placebo but are told they received the actual drug, those who receive the actual drug but are told they received a placebo, and those who receive a placebo and are also told they received a placebo. This design allows researchers to separate the effects of the drug itself from the effects of expectation or placebo. This is particularly useful when investigating drugs that have noticeable side effects or are commonly known to have a particular effect, as is the case with caffeine and its reputation as a stimulant. By using a balanced placebo design, Katherine can be more confident that any changes in driving performance she observes are due to the caffeine itself, rather than participants' expectations about caffeine.

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