Demand characteristics can threaten internal validity because the results ____.
A) may not generalize to situations where demand characteristics are different
B) may be specific to the experimenter who has the expectations
C) can be explained by reactivity instead of the treatment conditions
D) correlate with those that threaten external validity

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Demand characteristics occur when participants change their behavior due to their perceptions of the experiment rather than the actual treatment. This can create a threat to internal validity because the observed results may be due to the participants' reaction to the experiment rather than the treatment itself. This is called reactivity, and it can obscure the true effect of the treatment, leading to a false conclusion. Therefore, the answer is C, as demand characteristics can be explained by reactivity instead of the treatment conditions. Answers A, B, and D do not directly pertain to the threat of demand characteristics.

Demand Characteristics Can Threaten Internal Validity Because the Results ____