What is the Observer-expectancy effect?
The observer-expectancy effect is a type of reactivity that occurs in scientific experiments or studies. This bias affects the way participants behave during an experiment, as they alter their behavior due to knowing what the expected result should be.
How does it work?
In many cases, researchers are not aware that the Observer-expectancy effect has occurred. In these situations, there can be unintentional cues given off by researchers which lead certain participants to answer questions falsely or behave in a particular way. If this happens, then the data gathered from the experiment will not accurately reflect what would have happened if there was no expectation and therefore cannot provide valid results. During an unbiased study, participants will behave as they normally would and give both expected and unexpected outcomes for their actions. When a study is affected by the Observer-expectancy effect, it will show more expected behaviors from the participants as they attempt to please the researchers.
Why this bias is dangerous?
When an experiment or study contains results that have been skewed due to the Observer-expectancy effect, then the data gathered may be incomplete or incorrect. The lack of validity in these results can lead to invalid conclusions being made based on them. For example, if a medical treatment shows good results during a biased test, then a clinician may recommend using it even though it was only effective because of the expectations set up by those controlling the experiment. This could result in patients receiving ineffective treatments and experiencing negative side effects, while a more effective method remains undiscovered because of the Observer-expectancy effect.
Why do people use this bias?
When an experiment is being set up, there may be many factors that can affect how it will turn out, such as current trends in medicine or what other researchers have found in similar studies. Researchers working on these experiments should keep their own beliefs and expectations out of their work, but they cannot always manage to do this. In some cases, the scientist carrying out the research knows what result would be most beneficial for them personally or which outcome they are hoping to find. This could mean that they subconsciously alter their methods during the experiment so that it provides these results instead of truly random data. When data is collected during such experiments, the Observer-expectancy effect occurs as those controlling it attempt to mold the results so that they match what they want them to be.
How do people use this bias?
The Observer-expectancy effect has been shown to affect those who are in professions that require objectivity and clear judgement. Researchers and scientists often fall into this category, but there have also been examples of research assistants or students being affected by this type of bias when carrying out their work. This can sometimes occur even if the individual doing the research genuinely wants an unbiased answer, as once a hypothesis is formed it can be difficult not to try to make your findings fit with your existing beliefs. In some cases, researchers may not be aware that they are causing this bias by unintentionally giving off cues to the participants or subtly altering their methods during experiments.
How can we create this bias?
For an experiment to be influenced by the Observer-expectancy effect, it must contain some sort of unexpected result which is known about in advance. When people become aware of these results ahead of time, they may subconsciously alter their actions during the experiment so that they match what was expected. This could mean using certain measuring techniques more often, asking certain questions or even cheating during a test so that a particular answer is reached. During studies where there is no expectation for a certain type of outcome, the Observer-expectancy effect cannot take place as any responses given will have been random and not affected by those carrying out the research.
How to avoid this bias?
Researchers and scientists should try to keep their personal beliefs and expectations out of their experiments through careful planning and anonymizing procedures. This can be done by ensuring that all participants in a study are unaware of what they are being tested for, as well as keeping any interaction with them limited during the experiment itself. If this is not possible, then researchers should make sure that they do not give off cues to condition participants into giving certain answers or performing specific actions during the test.
What profession use this bias?
The Observer-expectancy effect has been found to occur most often when performed by professionals who must remain objective to out their work properly, such as scientists and researchers. It can also occur in many other jobs, especially those where the individual’s judgment may be clouded by their personal beliefs or expectations. For example, police officers who are involved with interrogating suspects and doctors and nurses who must make quick diagnoses may sometimes fall victim to this bias.
Observer-expectancy effect examples:
An experiment has been carried out to test if a pharmaceutical drug is effective at reducing anxiety levels in patients. The results show that there were no signs of the drug having any effect, but when reviewed it emerges that one lab technician consistently recorded lower anxiety scores from participants who had been given the placebo tablet, while another did so for those with the real pill. This means both technicians subconsciously altered their measurements during the trial to produce expected results.
In another study, a group of medical students are asked to determine which eye a dead patient was blind in based on looking at a photograph of them. When they were reminded that all their decisions should be random and that the outcome had no bearing on whether or not they passed their course, they chose correctly in nearly all cases. However, when they were told that these decisions could affect whether they pass the exam or not, the students began to choose incorrectly far more often, demonstrating how this bias can take place even when people are aware of it.
Observer-expectancy effect conclusion.
The Observer-expectancy effect is a well documented form of bias in research and experimentation which can alter the results seen in studies if it is not accounted for. This occurs when researchers subconsciously change their methods to produce certain expected results, based on what they believe will be found in advance. It can take place when experiments are performed by professionals who need to remain impartial or when tests are carried out where there is no specific expectation for one type of response over another.
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