What is the purpose of a double-blind study in psychology?

The correct answer focuses on the essence of a double-blind study, which is designed specifically to prevent bias in research outcomes. In a double-blind study, both the participants and the experimenters are kept unaware of who is receiving the treatment and who is receiving a placebo or control condition. This design is crucial because it minimizes the potential for both participant expectations and experimenter influence on the results. When neither group knows the specifics of the treatment, it reduces the likelihood of subjective biases affecting the responses or interpretations of outcomes.

Additionally, while eliminating biases is a general goal in research, asserting that a double-blind study eliminates all biases oversimplifies the complexities of research methodology. Similarly, while isolating variables and gathering qualitative data are important aspects of study design, they do not specifically capture the unique role and purpose of the double-blind procedure in mitigating bias in treatment research.