A condition where a placebo is used to mimic treatment, and participants believe they are receiving active therapy is called what?

A condition where a placebo is used to mimic treatment, and participants believe they are receiving active therapy is called what?

• A. Placebo group
• B. Control group
• C. Baseline measure
• D. Debriefing

Answer: (A)

The scenario describes the placebo effect, where an inert treatment is given to mimic real therapy and participants believe they are receiving active care. The term for the group receiving that inert treatment in a trial is the placebo group. This setup helps separate genuine treatment effects from changes driven by expectation. A control group is a broader comparison that may or may not receive a placebo, a baseline measure is an initial data point before treatment, and debriefing happens after the study to reveal its full purpose.

The scenario describes the placebo effect, where an inert treatment is given to mimic real therapy and participants believe they are receiving active care. The term for the group receiving that inert treatment in a trial is the placebo group. This setup helps separate genuine treatment effects from changes driven by expectation. A control group is a broader comparison that may or may not receive a placebo, a baseline measure is an initial data point before treatment, and debriefing happens after the study to reveal its full purpose.