In an effort to prevent participants in an experiment from trying to confirm the researchers' predictions,psychologists sometimes
A) obtain written promises from participants to respond honestly.
B) treat information about individual participants confidentially.
C) deceive participants about the true purpose of an experiment.
D) allow people to decide for themselves whether they want to participate in an experiment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Deceiving participants about the true purpose of an experiment is known as deception, and it is sometimes used to prevent participants from trying to confirm the researchers' predictions. By leading participants to believe that the experiment is testing something different or unrelated to the actual hypothesis, they are less likely to alter their behavior or responses based on what they think the researchers want to see. However, it is important that any deception used is minimal and does not cause harm or distress to participants.

In an Effort to Prevent Participants in an Experiment from Trying