Chapter 3 - 2

02 Psychology

Blind Studies

Blind studies are tools that researchers use indifferent fields, such as pharmacology, medicine, and psychology.

The name comes from the idea that participants cannot see or obtain any information about an experiment: they are, in effect, ‘‘blind’’ to the particulars of the study.

There are two types of blind studies: single-blind and double-blind.

They both address the problem of bias in research, which is the prejudice of researchers and participants that might influence the results of experiments.

During these studies, participants are placed in either a control or an experimental group.

A control group contains participants that are not exposed to a particular treatment in an experiment, such as a drug treatment.

In contrast, an experimental group contains participants that are exposed to the treatment in the experiment.

In the single-blind study, participants in an experiment do not know if they are in an experimental or control group.

The single-blind study prevents any bias from the participants during the experiment.

It does this by concealing information that might influence their behaviors and affect the results of the experiment.

Researchers in the single-blind study know the full details of the experiment, such as which participants are in the control or experimental group.

A simple example of a single-blind study is a blind taste test for brand name cookies.

In order to eliminate bias for a particular brand of cookie, researchers may blindfold the participants so they cannot see the cookies during taste tests.

The single-blind study does contain a flaw called experimenter effects.

These effects are single cues, such as a researcher’s smite or tone of voice.

These cues might influence a participant’s behavior in an experiment and lead to inaccurate results in the experiment.

For instance, a researcher might talk to a participant about the great advantages of a drug in a particular research experiment.

Doing this could influence the participants behavior in the study.

Cues from a researcher that might affect a participant’s behavior are virtually eliminated in the double-blind study.

Also, the possibility of bias from the researcher and participant is lessened by concealing information that might influence their behavior.

In the study, researchers and participants do not know if the participants are in the control or experimental group.

This assures that the behavior and actions of researchers and participants with not influence the outcome of the experiment.

Researchers in the pharmaceutical industry typically conduct research on newly developed drugs using the double-blind study.

Some participants in the drug study are put in an experimental group where they receive the drug being-tested.

Other participants are put in a control group where they receive a placebo.

Using the double-blind study in drug research prevents bias from researchers and participants toward a particular drug.

It also leads to accurate results by concealing information that might affect participants’ and researchers’ attitudes.

Blind studies prevent bias in research because they conceal information about experiments from researchers and participants.

With the increasing amount of research being done in different fields such as medicine, blind studies are necessary tools.

They ensure that researchers’ and participants’ prejudices do not interfere with the results.