Given below are two statements: Statement I: The purpose of a blind study is…
2023
Given below are two statements:
Statement I: The purpose of a blind study is to prevent the participants from figuring out what the experimenter wants.
Statement II: Interaction between the experimenter and the participants is always beneficial in social science research.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below
Answer: C. Statement I is true but Statement II is false — CONCEPTBlinding is a research-control technique that withholds relevant information from participants, researchers, or both. It reduces demand characteristics…
- A.
Both Statement I and Statement II are true
- B.
Both Statement I and Statement II are false
- C.
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
- D.
Statement I is false but Statement II is true
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
CONCEPT
Blinding is a research-control technique that withholds relevant information from participants, researchers, or both. It reduces demand characteristics and expectancy effects by limiting cues about the hypothesis or desired response.
Researcher-participant interaction is not inherently beneficial: it may build rapport, but it may also introduce interviewer, experimenter, or social-desirability bias. Therefore, an absolute word such as “always” must withstand every counterexample.
APPLICATION
The purpose-of-blinding claim describes the standard rationale: if participants cannot infer what the experimenter expects, their behaviour is less likely to be shaped by demand cues. Thus, Statement I is true.
Interaction can alter responses through tone, expectations, observation, or pressure to appear socially acceptable. Because such interaction can bias data, it is not always beneficial. Thus, Statement II is false.
CONTRAST
“Both statements are true” accepts the universal-benefit claim even though researcher-participant interaction can introduce bias.
“Both statements are false” overlooks the role of blinding in reducing demand characteristics and expectancy effects.
“Statement I is true but Statement II is false” combines the accepted purpose of blinding with the limitation of an absolute claim about interaction.
“Statement I is false but Statement II is true” reverses both assessments: it denies the control function of blinding and treats interaction as universally beneficial.
RESULT
The supported combination is: Statement I is true, but Statement II is false.