A placebo is an inert substance or treatment given to a control group in an experiment. It is used to eliminate the effects of participants' expectations on the results.
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Placebos are critical in distinguishing the actual effect of a treatment from psychological effects.
They help in maintaining blinding, where participants do not know if they are receiving the real treatment or the placebo.
The placebo effect occurs when participants experience changes due to their expectations rather than the treatment itself.
Ethical considerations require that participants be informed about the possibility of receiving a placebo during consent.
Placebos are often used in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to ensure unbiased results.
Review Questions
What is the primary purpose of using a placebo in an experiment?
How does a placebo contribute to maintaining blinding in an experiment?
What ethical considerations must be taken into account when using placebos?
Related terms
Blinding: A method used in experiments where information about the test is masked from participants, researchers, or both to prevent bias.
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT): An experimental design where participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment group or the control group.
Control Group: The group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment and is used as a benchmark to measure how other tested subjects do.