Question

Experiments enable researchers to investigate the effects of one specific factor by investigating the factor of interest while ______.

a. obtaining participants' informed consent prior to beginning the experiment

b. statistically summarizing participants' responses on a scatterplot

c. fully debriefing participants after completing the experiment

d. holding other factors constant across experimental and control groups

Answer 1

The informed consent of the participants in an experiment is an ethical consideration. It has no relation to the investigation of the factor of interest.

Option a) is incorrect.

A scatterplot is not the only way to summarize the responses of participants in an experiment.

Option b) is incorrect.

Debriefing participants after the completion of the experiment also has nothing to do with the investigation of the specific factor of interest.

Option c) is incorrect.

To investigate the effects of one particular factor in an experiment on the dependent variable, the other factors have to be kept constant across all the experimental groups and control groups. All the other variables (called confounding variables) can influence the dependent variable, and hence must not be varied during the experiment.

Option d) holding other factors constant across experimental and control groups is correct.