Dr Wilkins randomly assigns subjects to one of three groups. He is interested in the effects of caffeine on anxiety levels. He gives subjects in the first group an extra two cups of coffee a day for six months. The second group receives an extra two cups of decaffeinated coffee a day for the same time period, while the control group is not given either regular or decaffeinated coffee. By providing one group with decaffeinated coffee, Dr Wilkins is trying to account for which potential element of the experiment?
A)A control condition
B)The Rosenthal effect
C)The placebo effect
D)The artificial condition

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The placebo effect is a phenomenon in which a person experiences a beneficial effect from a treatment that is not actually effective. In this case, the decaffeinated coffee is not expected to have any effect on anxiety levels, but it may still have a positive effect due to the placebo effect.

Dr Wilkins Randomly Assigns Subjects to One of Three Groups