What term describes a treatment given to a control group to convince them they are being exposed to the experimental variable, while exposure is only a neutral stimulus?

What term describes a treatment given to a control group to convince them they are being exposed to the experimental variable, while exposure is only a neutral stimulus?

• A. Placebo
• B. Field Experiment
• C. Descriptive Studies
• D. Exploratory Studies

Answer: (A)

Placebo describes a treatment given to a control group that has no active ingredient but is made to resemble the real intervention. This is done to trigger the placebo effect—the change that occurs because participants expect they are receiving something real. By giving a placebo, researchers can blind participants to their group assignment, helping to isolate the true effect of the experimental variable. The other terms refer to study designs rather than a deceptive treatment used to mimic exposure to the intervention.

Placebo describes a treatment given to a control group that has no active ingredient but is made to resemble the real intervention. This is done to trigger the placebo effect—the change that occurs because participants expect they are receiving something real. By giving a placebo, researchers can blind participants to their group assignment, helping to isolate the true effect of the experimental variable. The other terms refer to study designs rather than a deceptive treatment used to mimic exposure to the intervention.