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An article in the San Luis Obispo Tribune (September 7 , 1999) described an experiment designed to investigate the effect of creatine supplements on the development of muscle fibers. The article states that the researchers "looked at 19 men, all about 25 years of age and similar in weight, lean body mass, and capacity to lift weights. Ten were given creatine \(-25\) grams a day for the first week, followed by 5 grams a day for the rest of the study. The rest were given a fake preparation. No one was told what he was getting. All the men worked out under the guidance of the same trainer. The response variable measured was gain in fat-free mass (in percent)." a. What extraneous variables are identified in the given statement, and what strategy did the researchers use to deal with them? b. Do you think it was important that the men participating in the experiment were not told whether they were receiving creatine or the placebo? Explain. c. This experiment was not conducted in a double-blind manner. Do you think it would have been a good idea to make this a double-blind experiment? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
a. Extraneous variables were age, weight, lean body mass, and weightlifting capacity, which were controlled by selecting similar samples. b. Yes, concealing the type of treatment is important to avoid the placebo effect. c. Yes, a double-blind experiment would have been ideal to prevent biases on behalf of the experimenters.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the extraneous variables

Extraneous variables could include - age of the participants, their initial weight, lean body mass, and capacity to lift weights. These variables could affect the development of muscle fibers. These cannot be totally eliminated but can be controlled.
02

Strategy used by the researchers

The strategy used by the researchers was to control the extraneous variables. The participants were all selected with similar age, weight, lean body mass, and weight lifting capacity. This would mean that the effect of the creatine or placebo can be observed without these variables distorting the results.
03

Concealing the type of treatment

Yes, it's crucial that the men weren't told whether they were receiving creatine or the placebo. This is to eliminate the placebo effect - if the men knew they were taking creatine (a known muscle supplement), they might perceive their gain in muscle mass to be higher than it is, which could bias the results.
04

Double-Blind experiment

Yes, it would have been a good idea to conduct a double-blind experiment. In double-blind experiments, neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving a particular treatment. This prevents any biases in data collection on the part of the conductors of the experiment and ensures more valid outcomes.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Extraneous Variables
When conducting an experiment, extraneous variables are factors other than the independent variable that might affect the dependent variable. For instance, in a study about the effect of creatine on muscle development, variables like age, weight, lean body mass, and initial lifting capacity could interfere with the results.

To mitigate their impact, researchers try to make these extraneous variables constant across the study's participants. The strategy, as applied in the creatine experiment, is to select men of approximately the same age, weight, and fitness level. By doing so, researchers aim to isolate the effect of creatine from those potential confounders, ensuring that differences in muscle fiber development are attributed more directly to the supplement and not to varying personal characteristics.

All experiments should take such factors into account to enhance the validity of their findings. Failing to control for extraneous variables can lead to erroneous conclusions and reduced reliability of the experiment's outcomes.
Control Group
Within an experimental design, a control group serves as a benchmark to measure how the other tested subjects do against a standard condition. The control group in the creatine study was the set of men who received a fake preparation instead of creatine.

The role of the control group is crucial because it shows what would happen without the experimental intervention. In this case, any changes in muscle development in the control group can be attributed to the regular workout regime or other factors not related to creatine consumption. The comparison between the creatine group and the control group thereby helps researchers to determine the actual effect of the supplement.

Having a control group rules out other variables that might be causing the observed effect, adding credibility to the argument that the independent variable (in this case, creatine) is responsible for the observed changes in the dependent variable (muscle fiber development).
Double-Blind Experiment
A double-blind experiment is a method to remove both experimenter and subject bias from the results. Neither the participants nor the researchers know who has received the treatment or the placebo. This method was not used in the creatine study, and as a result, the researchers' expectations might inadvertently influence their measurements or interpretations of the data.

Implementing a double-blind experiment means that the outcomes are more likely to be attributed purely to the treatment's effects, without the influence of psychological factors. For instance, if the trainers administering the workouts knew who was receiving creatine, they might unconsciously encourage those individuals more, thus skewing results. Similarly, if the participants knew, they might push themselves harder (or not), which would affect the gains measured.

In conclusion, double-blinding enhances the credibility of experimental results by minimizing biases, leading to stronger, more reliable scientific conclusions. Integrating this method into the described creatine study would indeed provide a firmer ground to attribute changes in muscle fibers specifically to the supplement's effect.

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