In experiments testing Facilitated Communication (FC), when FC practitioners were not aware of the content of the message presented to autistic people, the communication of autistic people was not facilitated. This type of experimental control involved the:
A) presentation of a placebo control.
B) use of a wait-for-treatment control group.
C) facilitators being blinded to the experimental condition.
D) control of extraneous variables in the environment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Blinding the facilitators to the experimental condition is a type of experimental control that helps to eliminate experimenter bias and ensure that the effects observed are due to the treatment condition and not the expectations of the facilitators. In this case, the facilitators being unaware of the message presented to the autistic person ensures that any improvements in communication are not due to the facilitator's expectations or biases. Placebo control (A) and wait-for-treatment control groups (B) are not applicable to this type of experiment, and controlling extraneous variables in the environment (D) is important but not specific to this particular control method.

In Experiments Testing Facilitated Communication (FC), When FC Practitioners Were