Experimenter Bias

Definition

Experimenter bias refers to the possibility that a researcher's expectations might skew the results of an experiment.

Theoretical Perspectives

Experimenter Bias

Study And Research Findings

Rosenthal and Fode (1963) demonstrated experimenter bias in their study on lab rats, showing that experimenters' expectations could indeed influence the results of an experiment.

Related terms

Confirmation Bias: This is when people favor information that confirms their existing beliefs or hypotheses.

Observer-expectancy Effect: This occurs when a researcher's cognitive bias causes them to subconsciously influence the participants of an experiment.

Demand Characteristics: These are subtle cues that make participants aware of what the experimenter expects to find or how participants are expected to behave.