Explain the research design alternative that involves comparing a new treatment directly against the best available alternative treatment. How does this design control for the placebo effect, and what practical question does it address compared to using a standard control condition?
Question: Explain the research design alternative that involves comparing a new treatment directly against the best available alternative treatment. How does this design control for the placebo effect, and what practical question does it address compared to using a standard control condition?
Sample answer: This design compares a new experimental intervention directly against the best available alternative treatment rather than a standard control condition. It controls for the placebo effect because participants in both groups receive an active treatment, keeping their expectations for improvement similar. Furthermore, it addresses the practical question of whether the new treatment outperforms existing clinical standards, rather than simply testing whether the new treatment works.
Key points:
- The new treatment is compared directly to the best available alternative treatment instead of a standard control.
- Both groups receive an active treatment.
- Expectations for improvement remain similar across both groups, controlling for the placebo effect.
- The design addresses whether the new treatment outperforms existing clinical standards.
Rubric: Full credit is awarded if the student defines the design (comparing to the best available alternative), explains that placebo effects are controlled because both groups receive active treatments (leading to similar expectations of improvement), and states that the design addresses whether the new treatment outperforms existing clinical standards.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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