A scientist is designing a clinical trial to test the effect of online chat counseling with migraine sufferers as a supplementary treatment in combating their migraines. Migraine sufferers will have access to counselors via online chat software; the scientist plans to see whether their migraine pain has been reduced after six weeks.
The subjects would obviously know whether or not they were given access to the counseling. What experimental technique does this eliminate?
A) informed consent
B) randomization
C) blinding
D) confounding

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Blinding refers to concealing information from participants in order to reduce bias. In this case, blinding would involve keeping the subjects unaware of whether they are receiving the real online chat counseling or a placebo (e.g. access to a chat room without a counselor present). However, since the subjects will be aware of whether or not they are receiving the counseling, blinding is eliminated as a possible experimental technique.

A Scientist Is Designing a Clinical Trial to Test the Effect