Section 4: PROCEDURES AND MEASURES

Question 1

Single blind procedure

Answer 1

Participants are not told the true aim of the experiment at the beginning of a study. Other details may also be kept from them such as which condition they are in and whether there is another condition at all. It is used to try and prevent demand characteristics.
- Protect against confounding variables

Question 2

Double blind procedure

Answer 2

Neither the participants nor the researcher who conduct the study, is aware of the aims or hypotheses of the investigation. The person conducting the study is therefore less likely to produce cues about what he/she/them/they expects from the participant. This procedure protects against both demand characteristics and experimenter bias.
- Protect against confounding variables

Question 3

Placebo

Answer 3

An imitation pill / injection / patch, which is harmless to the human body and acts as the control condition.
- Usually, single or double blind procedures make use of a placebo

Question 4

Placebo effect

Answer 4

Participants sometimes believe the placebo treatment is the active ingredient and think they experience changes in their health/well-being