experimenter effect

any influence a researcher may have on the results of his or her research, derived from either interaction with participants or unintentional errors of observation, measurement, analysis, or interpretation. In the former, the experimenter’s personal characteristics (e.g., age, sex, race), attitudes, and expectations directly affect the behavior of participants. In the latter, the experimenter’s procedural errors (often arising from his or her expectations about results) have no effect on participant responses but indirectly distort the research findings.

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Psychology term of the day

December 22nd 2024

security

n. a sense of safety, confidence, and freedom from apprehension. In psychology, security is believed to be engendered by such factors as warm, accepting parents and friends; development of age-appropriate skills and abilities; and experiences that build a stable sense of self. The development of security in the psychotherapeutic context (most often referred to as trust) is seen as a mediating goal that encourages open exploration of emotional and behavioral issues and is considered to be part of a strong and healthy therapist–patient relationship.