In experimental design, what is the primary purpose of blinding?

The primary purpose of blinding in experimental design is to minimize bias. Blinding involves concealing certain information from participants or experimenters to prevent their expectations or knowledge from influencing the results of the study. For instance, in a clinical trial, if participants know whether they are receiving the treatment or a placebo, their beliefs about the treatment could affect how they report their symptoms or reactions. Similarly, if researchers are not blinded, their expectations might unconsciously influence their observations and data collection. By keeping both participants and observers unaware of key details, blinding helps ensure that the outcomes are attributed more accurately to the treatment itself rather than to external influences or biases.