When does a placebo effect occur?
A)When an experimenter finds what he or she expected to discover.
B)When participants have not been randomly assigned to experimental and control conditions.
C)When participants change their behaviour because of their belief that a treatment has had an effect.
D)When both participants and experimental assistants are unaware of which participants get which treatment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The placebo effect occurs when participants change their behaviour because of their belief that a treatment has had an effect. This can happen even if the treatment they received is actually a placebo (e.g., a sugar pill that has no active ingredients). The belief that they have received a treatment can lead to changes in their symptoms, performance, or other outcomes that are being measured.

When Does a Placebo Effect Occur