A researcher wants to study the effects of frustration on later aggressive behavior by frustrating half the participants and then measuring the amount of hot sauce they give to a confederate.She tells the participants this is a study of "Individual Differences in Taste Preference." Why did she tell them this?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Telling participants the true purpose of the study could potentially bias their responses, leading to demand characteristics. By giving them a cover story, the researcher is attempting to prevent participants from guessing the true purpose of the study and altering their behavior accordingly.

A Researcher Wants to Study the Effects of Frustration on Later