Which of the following statements about experimenter expectancy effects is TRUE?
A) Research has shown that experimenter expectancy effects are a major problem in psychological research.
B) Researchers' expectancies can lead them to interpret participants' behavior in ways that tend to confirm the research hypothesis.
C) Researchers' expectancies cannot influence participants' actual behavior during an experiment.
D) There are no effective ways of controlling for experimenter expectancy effects.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Experimenter expectancy effects refer to the phenomenon where researchers' expectations about how participants will behave influence their interpretation of the results. This can sometimes lead them to interpret participants' behavior in ways that tend to confirm the research hypothesis. While there are ways to control for these effects, they can still be a problem in psychological research. However, statement A is incorrect as not all research has found experimenter expectancy effects to be a major problem. Statement C is incorrect because researchers' expectancies can influence participants' behavior, for example, through subtle cues or feedback. Statement D is also incorrect because there are statistical techniques and experimental designs that can help control for experimenter expectancy effects.

Which of the Following Statements About Experimenter Expectancy Effects Is