A pharmaceutical company is conducting an experiment to test the effectiveness of a tricyclic antidepressant.Which of the following,if true,would indicate that the experimenters used a placebo?
A)The participants were assigned to the experimental or control groups by drawing lots.
B)The participants were informed about the medication they would be taking and its possible side effects before starting the treatment.
C)The participants in both groups did not know if they were getting a real or a false treatment.
D)The research assistants who administered the drugs were asked to establish rapport with the participants.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the participants in both groups did not know if they were getting a real or false treatment, it indicates that a placebo was used in the experiment. This is because a placebo is a false treatment given to the control group to create a comparison against the real treatment given to the experimental group. Option A simply states the method of assigning groups and does not provide any information about the use of a placebo. Option B indicates that participants were informed about the medication, but does not indicate if a placebo was used. Option D refers to the behavior of research assistants and is not relevant to the use of a placebo in the experiment.

A Pharmaceutical Company Is Conducting an Experiment to Test the Effectiveness