If individuals are asked to rate the effectiveness of condoms in preventing the transmission of HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), they would be most likely to rate a condom as effective if they were told:
A) that the condom has a 95 percent success rate in protecting against the HIV.
B) that only 5 condom users out of every 100 are not protected against the HIV.
C) that the condom has a 5 percent failure rate in protecting against the HIV.
D) It does not matter, because all of the options above describe the same statistical effectiveness.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A is the best choice because it presents the information in a positive way, emphasizing the high success rate of the condom in protecting against HIV. B and C may be less effective because they focus on the small percentage of condom users who may not be protected rather than the majority who are protected. D is incorrect because the options present different ways of framing the statistical information, which can affect people's perceptions of effectiveness.

If Individuals Are Asked to Rate the Effectiveness of Condoms