Participant-Experimenter Interactions

Question 1

Psychology experiments are

Answer 1

Social events

Both participant and experimenters have goals and expectations about exp. (can bias or influence outcome)

Question 2

Experimenter bias

Answer 2

Experimenters can shape participant’s behavior without intending to

Can be due to

• treating subjects in different conditions differently
• subtle differences in how experimenters notice and record subject behavior

To minimize

• train experimenters well
• use multiple experimenters
• automate data collection
• blind and double-blind procedures

Question 3

Participant bias

Answer 3

Participants can manipulate own behavior in experiment

• may try to figure it out
• subjects have own agenda for participating
• may desire to be “good subject”

Sources

• Hawthorne effect
• Demand characteristics

Minimize

• placebo control
• nonreactive measures (subject has no control or unaware of DV)
• post experimental questioning (see if influenced)
• manipulation checks (stop experiment and ask participant what they are thinking)

Question 4

Hawthorne effect

Answer 4

Effects due to knowledge that one is in experiment and being observed
-try to make experiment success or act different when observed

Question 5

Demand characteristics

Answer 5

Influences of research setting and not the IV

Experimental situation may “demand” or suggest certain responses

Question 6

Ethics of human experimentation

Answer 6

Golden rule
Protect confidentiality
Informed consent
Minimize risk
Do best possible study

Question 7

IRB considers

Answer 7

Benefits to society/knowledge vs risks to participant
How informed consent is obtained
How confidentiality is protected

Not about the science, but the ethics

Question 8

Research with animals

Answer 8

Examine simpler behaviors in isolation
Can examine long-term exposure to variables
Can tightly control heredity/environment
Some species have unique characteristics
Can study irreversible effects

Require humane treatment