What does it mean to say that a study is "single blind"?

• A. In a single blind study, the researcher analyzing the data does not know which group participants are in.
• B. In a single blind study, participants are assigned to groups "blindly", in other words, randomly.
• C. In a single blind study, the person administering treatment does not know if participants are receiving the placebo or actual treatment.
• D. In a single blind study, the participants do not know whether they are in the experimental or control group.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of a 'single blind study': In research, a single blind study is a type of experimental design where the participants are unaware of whether they are in the experimental group (receiving the treatment) or the control group (receiving a placebo or no treatment). This helps reduce bias in the participants' responses.
2. Clarify the purpose of blinding: The goal of blinding in studies is to minimize bias and ensure that the results are influenced by the treatment itself rather than participants' expectations or perceptions.
3. Differentiate between single blind and other types of studies: In a single blind study, only the participants are unaware of their group assignment. In contrast, a double blind study ensures that both the participants and the researchers administering the treatment are unaware of group assignments.
4. Analyze the provided options: Review each statement in the problem and compare it to the definition of a single blind study. Eliminate options that do not align with the concept.
5. Select the correct answer: Based on the definition, the correct answer is the statement that specifies participants do not know whether they are in the experimental or control group.