You are participating in a social-psychological research experiment, and the researcher reads the instructions to you and the other participants so that each of you hears exactly the same instructions. By standardizing the instructions, the researcher is attempting to control the
A) dependent variable.
B) experimental outcome.
C) demand characteristics.
D) framing effect.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Standardizing the instructions helps to control for demand characteristics, which are cues in the experiment that may provide participants with clues about how they are supposed to behave. By making sure all participants hear the same instructions, the researcher can help ensure that everyone has an equal chance of understanding what is expected of them, and can decrease the likelihood that demand characteristics will influence the experimental results. Standardizing the instructions does not control the dependent variable or experimental outcome, and is not directly related to the framing effect.

You Are Participating in a Social-Psychological Research Experiment, and the Researcher