The threat to the internal validity of an experiment that is called compensatory treatment refers to which of the following situations?
A) the control group subjects being paid while the experimental group subjects are not
B) the experimental group subjects being paid while the control group subjects are not
C) the subjects in the control group feel deprived of something they consider valuable
D) there is no threat to internal validity called compensatory treatment

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Compensatory treatment refers to a situation where subjects in the control group feel compensated or receive something they consider valuable, which could potentially affect the experimental outcome. This is because the control group may feel less deprived or more satisfied, leading to changes in behavior that can affect the outcome of the experiment. In this case, the threat to internal validity is that the observed differences between the control and experimental groups may not be solely due to the treatment, but also due to the compensatory factors. Therefore, option C is the best answer. Options A and B refer to situations where only one group receives compensation, which is not related to compensatory treatment. Option D is incorrect because compensatory treatment is a known threat to internal validity.

The Threat to the Internal Validity of an Experiment That