Although the true nature of the experiment was supposed to be a secret, Professor Bobson always smiled when a subject checked the left box. As a result, subjects began to routinely check
The left box. How would one describe this potential problem?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This problem describes demand characteristics, which are cues or clues within an experiment that signal to participants what behavior is expected of them. In this case, the smiling of the experimenter is a cue that influences participants' behavior, leading them to check the left box more frequently. This can potentially bias the results of the experiment by creating an artificial effect that is not reflective of the true nature of the variables being studied.

Although the True Nature of the Experiment Was Supposed to Be