For a within-subjects study comparing two treatments, A and B, a researcher expects that practice in the first treatment will improve the participants' scores in the second treatment. If the order of treatments is counterbalanced, then the practice will ____.
A) influence scores in treatment A, but not in treatment B
B) influence scores in treatment B, but not in treatment A
C) influence scores in treatment A for half the participants and scores in treatment B for half the participants
D) not influence the scores in either treatment condition because the treatments are counterbalanced

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Counterbalancing means that half of the participants receive treatment A first and then treatment B, while the other half receive treatment B first and then treatment A. This approach aims to control for practice effects by distributing them equally across both treatments. Therefore, practice will influence scores in treatment A for half the participants and scores in treatment B for the other half.

For a Within-Subjects Study Comparing Two Treatments, a and B