Sandy Sue was participating in an experiment in which she was given a pill that was supposed to cause her to get drowsy. Five minutes after taking the pill, Sandy Sue reported that she felt drowsy and wanted to lie down. The pill was actually made of sugar and had no ingredients to cause drowsiness. How do you explain Sandy Sue's drowsy feeling?
A) experimenter effect
B) placebo effect
C) subject bias
D) treatment effect

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The placebo effect occurs when a person experiences a change in their symptoms or behavior due to their belief that they are receiving a treatment, even if the treatment is actually inactive. In this case, Sandy Sue's belief that the pill would cause her to get drowsy led to her experiencing drowsiness, even though the pill was made of sugar and had no ingredients to cause drowsiness.

Sandy Sue Was Participating in an Experiment in Which She