sat suite question viewer
| Measure | Mean rating for participants aware of taking a placebo | Mean rating for participants in the control group |
|---|---|---|
| Global improvement | 5.0 | 3.9 |
| Symptom severity reduction | 92.00 | 46.00 |
| Quality of life improvement | 11.4 | 5.4 |
To test whether a medication is effective, scientists compare outcomes for patients taking it and patients taking a placebo (a medically inactive substance). Patients normally aren’t told they’re receiving a placebo, but a research team conducted a study to see if there might be a medical benefit to telling them. The team used various measures to evaluate participants, with higher ratings indicating greater well-being in each measure. Compared to the mean ratings after 21 days for participants in the control group, the mean ratings for participants who were aware of taking a placebo blank
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
Explanation
Choice D is the best answer because it most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement comparing the mean ratings for two different groups of participants in a study. The text explains that a research team evaluated the study’s participants using various measures in order to learn whether there might be a medical benefit to telling patients they’re receiving a placebo. The table shows the team’s mean ratings for participants after 21 days for three of the measures: global improvement, symptom severity reduction, and quality of life improvement. According to the table, the mean ratings were higher for all three measures for participants aware of taking a placebo than for participants in the control group. Given that higher ratings indicate greater well-being, as the text states, the mean ratings in the table indicate greater overall well-being for participants aware of taking a placebo than for participants in the control group.
Choice A is incorrect because the table doesn’t include data about individual participants; rather, it presents means, or mathematical averages, of ratings. For this reason, no conclusions can be drawn from data in the table about the extent to which well-being may have varied from participant to participant. Choice B is incorrect because according to the table, the mean ratings for participants aware of taking a placebo were higher for all three measures than for participants in the control group, not lower for two of the measures. Choice C is incorrect because it cites data from the table related to participants in the control group, not to participants aware of taking a placebo. Additionally, the mean ratings in the table for participants aware of taking a placebo are higher for all three measures than for participants in the control group. Given that higher ratings indicate greater well-being, as the text states, the ratings in the table for participants aware of taking a placebo indicate greater well-being for these participants in all three measures.