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Ch. 1 - Can Science Cure the Common Cold?
Belk, Maier - Biology: Science for Life 6th Edition
Belk, Maier6th EditionBiology: Science for LifeISBN: 9780135214084Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksBelk, Maier 6th EditionCh. 1 - Can Science Cure the Common Cold?Problem 8
Chapter 1, Problem 8

An experiment in which neither the participants in the experiment nor the technicians collecting the data know which individuals are in the experimental group and which ones are in the control group is known as _________.
a. Controlled
b. Biased
c. Double-blind
d. Falsifiable
e. Unpredictable

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the key terms in the question. A 'control group' is a group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment and is used as a baseline for comparison. An 'experimental group' is the group that receives the treatment being tested.
Step 2: Recognize the importance of minimizing bias in experiments. Bias can occur if participants or researchers know which group is receiving the treatment, potentially influencing the results.
Step 3: Learn the definition of a 'double-blind' experiment. In a double-blind experiment, neither the participants nor the researchers collecting the data know which group is the experimental group and which is the control group. This helps ensure objectivity and reduces bias.
Step 4: Review the other answer choices to eliminate incorrect options. For example, 'controlled' refers to maintaining consistent conditions, 'biased' implies partiality, 'falsifiable' means a hypothesis can be tested and potentially disproven, and 'unpredictable' refers to randomness, none of which describe the scenario in the question.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is 'double-blind,' as it matches the description of the experiment where neither participants nor data collectors know the group assignments.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Double-Blind Experiment

A double-blind experiment is a research design where neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving a particular treatment. This method helps eliminate bias in the results, as it prevents both parties from influencing each other's perceptions or behaviors. It is commonly used in clinical trials to ensure that the outcomes are solely due to the treatment being tested.
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Control Group

The control group in an experiment is the group that does not receive the experimental treatment and is used as a benchmark to measure how the other group performs. By comparing the results of the experimental group with the control group, researchers can determine the effect of the treatment. This helps in establishing a cause-and-effect relationship.
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Bias in Research

Bias in research refers to systematic errors that can affect the validity of study results. It can arise from various sources, including the selection of participants, data collection methods, or the interpretation of results. Minimizing bias is crucial for ensuring that the findings are accurate and can be generalized to a larger population.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

One hypothesis states that eating chicken noodle soup is an effective treatment for colds. Which of the following results does this hypothesis predict?

a. People who eat chicken noodle soup have shorter colds than do people who do not eat chicken noodle soup.

b. People who do not eat chicken noodle soup experience unusually long and severe colds.

c. Cold viruses cannot live in chicken noodle soup.

d. People who eat chicken noodle soup feel healthier than do people who do not eat chicken noodle soup.

e. Consuming chicken noodle soup causes people to sneeze.

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Textbook Question

If I perform a hypothesis test in which I demonstrate that the prediction I made in question 5 is true, I have ________.

a. Proved the hypothesis

b. Supported the hypothesis

c. Not falsified the hypothesis

d. B and C are correct

e. A, B, and C are correct

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Textbook Question

Control subjects in an experiment _________.

a. Should be similar in most ways to the experimental subjects.

b. Should not know whether they are in the control or experimental group.

c. Should have essentially the same interactions with the researchers as the experimental subjects.

d. Help eliminate alternative hypotheses that could explain experimental results.

e. All of the above.

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Textbook Question

A relationship between two factors, for instance, between outside temperature and the number of people with active colds in a population, is known as a(n) ________.

a. Significant result

b. Correlation

c. Hypothesis

d. Alternative hypothesis

e. Experimental test

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Textbook Question

A primary source of scientific results is ________.

a. The news media.

b. Anecdotes from others.

c. Articles in peer-reviewed journals.

d. The Internet.

e. All of the above.

Textbook Question

A story on your local news station reports that eating a 1-ounce square of milk chocolate each day reduces the risk of heart disease in rats and that this result is statistically significant. This means that ________.

a. People who eat milk chocolate are healthier than those who do not.

b. The difference between chocolate-eating and chocolate-abstaining rats in heart disease rates was greater than expected by chance.

c. Rats like milk chocolate.

d. Milk chocolate reduces the risk of heart disease.

e. Two ounces of milk chocolate per day is likely to be even better for heart health than 1 ounce.