The proposed experiment would involve participants randomly assigned to a control group or a group consuming caffeine. The task required of each group would be a standardized cognitive test that measures reaction time, focus, and accuracy. Participants would also be asked to rate their alertness before and after completing the task. The results of the experiment would then be compared to measure the effect of caffeine on cognitive performance.
Below is an instruction that describes a task. Write a response that appropriately completes the request.

### Instruction:
Design an experiment to investigate the effects of caffeine on cognitive performance.

### Response:
The proposed experiment would involve participants randomly assigned to a control group or a group consuming caffeine. The task required of each group would be a standardized cognitive test that measures reaction time, focus, and accuracy. Participants would also be asked to rate their alertness before and after completing the task. The results of the experiment would then be compared to measure the effect of caffeine on cognitive performance.
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**Experiment Title:** Investigating the Effects of Caffeine on Cognitive Performance

**Objective:**

The objective of this experiment is to investigate the effects of caffeine on cognitive performance, specifically on attention, memory, reaction time, and decision-making speed.

**Materials:**

* 20 participants (10 males, 10 females)
* Caffeine pills or tablets (containing 80mg of caffeine)
* Control group: 10 participants who consume no caffeine
* Randomized order of caffeine and control groups
* Cognitive tests:
	+ Attention Test (e.g., Stroop Task)
	+ Memory Test (e.g., N-back Task)
	+ Reaction Time Test (e.g., reaction time task)
	+ Decision-Making Task (e.g., decision-making task)
* Equipment: computer, stimulant-free software, audio equipment

**Procedure:**

1. **Participant Inclusion Criteria:** Participants must be between 18-30 years old, with no prior history of caffeine use or anxiety disorders.
2. **Participant Screening:** Participants must undergo a thorough medical examination to ensure they are caffeine-free and have no underlying medical conditions that may be affected by caffeine.
3. **Experimental Design:** Participants will be randomly assigned to either the caffeine or control group, with 10 participants in each group.
4. **Caffeine Administration:** Participants in the caffeine group will receive 80mg of caffeine pills or tablets orally 30 minutes before performing the cognitive tests.
5. **Cognitive Tests:** Participants will complete the cognitive tests under controlled conditions, with the same stimuli and instructions for both the caffeine and control groups.
6. **Data Collection:** The cognitive tests will be administered twice, once with caffeine and once without caffeine, to ensure that the results are consistent across the experiment.
7. **Data Analysis:** The data will be analyzed using paired-samples t-tests to compare the mean scores between the caffeine and control groups.

**Hypotheses:**

* The caffeine group will show a significant improvement in attention, memory, reaction time, and decision-making speed compared to the control group.
* The caffeine group will also show a significant reduction in anxiety levels.

**Variables:**

* Independent Variable: Caffeine administration (presence or absence of caffeine)
* Dependent Variables:
	+ Attention Test: Reaction time, accuracy, and speed
	+ Memory Test: N-back Task, accuracy, and speed
	+ Reaction Time Test: Reaction time and accuracy
	+ Decision-Making Task: Accuracy and speed
* Control Variable: Participants' age, sex, and prior history of caffeine use

**Expected Outcomes:**

* The caffeine group will show significant improvements in attention, memory, reaction time, and decision-making speed compared to the control group.
* The caffeine group will also show a significant reduction in anxiety levels.
* The results will provide evidence for the cognitive benefits of caffeine, and may suggest potential mechanisms for its effectiveness.

**Limitations:**

* This study is limited by its small sample size and the use of a self-administered stimulant.
* Future studies should consider larger sample sizes and alternative methods to control for self-administered stimulant use.

**Ethics:**

* This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to commencement.
* Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and they were provided with information about the study's objectives, methods, and potential risks.

**Timeline:**

* Participant recruitment and screening: 2 weeks
* Experimental design and procedure: 2 weeks
* Data collection: 4 weeks
* Data analysis: 6 weeks
* Results dissemination: 12 weeks