In a single-blind experiment, who knows which participants receive the treatment?

In a single-blind experiment, who knows which participants receive the treatment?

• A. Only the participants know who receives the treatment.
• B. Both the participants and the researchers know who receives the treatment.
• C. Only the researchers know who receives the treatment.
• D. Neither the participants nor the researchers know.

Answer: (C)

Blinding in experiments is about who knows which participants received the treatment. In a single-blind setup, the participants do not know their own assignment, while the researchers do know. This arrangement helps prevent the participants’ expectations from influencing their responses, while still allowing the researchers to administer the treatment and collect data. So, only the researchers knowing who received the treatment is the correct description. If both parties knew, there would be no blinding; if neither knew, it would be double-blind; if the participants knew, it would not be single-blind.

Blinding in experiments is about who knows which participants received the treatment. In a single-blind setup, the participants do not know their own assignment, while the researchers do know. This arrangement helps prevent the participants’ expectations from influencing their responses, while still allowing the researchers to administer the treatment and collect data. So, only the researchers knowing who received the treatment is the correct description. If both parties knew, there would be no blinding; if neither knew, it would be double-blind; if the participants knew, it would not be single-blind.