Attenuation and Enhancement of Compliance with Experimental Demand Characteristics

2007 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 501-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas J. Navarick

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry Brew ◽  
Taylar Clark ◽  
Jordan Feingold-Link ◽  
Hilary Barth

“Minimal group” paradigms investigate social preferences arising from mere group membership. We asked whether demand characteristics contribute to children’s apparent minimal group bias in a preregistered experiment (N = 160). In a “group” condition, we attempted to replicate findings of bias following assignment to minimal groups. A second closely-matched “no-group” condition retained potential demand characteristics while removing group assignment. Parallel bias in the no-group condition would suggest that demand characteristics contribute to findings of apparent ingroup bias. Three main findings emerged. First, in the group condition, ingroup preference emerged in one of three bias measures only. Second, this preference emerged although participants evaluated ingroup/outgroup photos varying in race/ethnicity between trials. Third, the measure that yielded ingroup preferences in the group condition produced no parallel bias in the no-group condition, consistent with the view that mere membership in a group, not experimental demand, leads to minimal ingroup preferences.



1977 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Vernon Odom ◽  
Rosemery O. Nelson

A 2×2 experimental design utilized two levels of verbally reported snake fearfulness (high-low) and two levels of experimental demand (high-low) with 16 college student subjects during a behavioral avoidance test. Subjects given high-demand instructions for heart-rate increase increased their heart rate more than subjects given low-demand instructions. Results were specific to heart rate, as demand produced no effects on approach behaviors or fear ratings. Heart rate during the behavioral avoidance test was shown to be as susceptible to experimental demand as other studies have shown approach behaviors to be influenced.



1971 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 1003-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodore Jacob

To clarify the nature of the Experimenter Bias Effect (EBE), the present study attempted to evaluate the influence of experimental demand characteristics and E's investment upon emergence of the EBE. The experimental design consisted of two 2 × 2 factorial designs in which Experimenter Expectancy and Experimenter Investment were each represented on two levels. The Rorschach inkblot test and Number Estimation Test were the tasks used in the two designs. The data did not reflect an EBE with either task or with any combination of experimental conditions. The present findings were discussed in terms of Es' inaccuracies in receiving and/or retaining the stated expectancy, Es' inabilities in identifying the intended demand characteristics, and the unreliable nature of the EBE.









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