Question

Two groups of graduate students were given rats and were told to teach them how to run mazes. Group 1 was told that they had "very smart" rats that should learn quickly. Group 2 was told that they had "very stupid" rats that should learn slowly. In actuality, neither group was any different, and the rats were randomly assigned. In spite of that, when the experiment concluded, Group 1 rats had learned the maze much more quickly. How can that be explained?

A) experimenter effect
B) placebo effect
C) subject bias
D) treatment effect

Answer 1

Answer: A) Experimental effect.

Explanation:

The experimental effect is a cognitive bias exerted by the researcher who exerts an unconscious influence on the expectations that the participant of an experiment has about the results of an experiment will have.

For example, by telling a participant in an experiment that the results will be negative, an influence is exerted which makes the results more likely to be negative.

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