Psychology Atlas

How The Mind Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Psychological Phenomena

Subject-Expectancy Effect

Confirmation and Motivated-Reasoning Biases

In scientific research and psychotherapy, the subject-expectancy effect is a form of reactivity that occurs when a research subject expects a given result and therefore unconsciously affects the outcome, or reports the expected result rather than what actually happened. Because it can significantly bias the results of an experiment, especially one involving human subjects, double-blind methodology is used to try to eliminate it, and it is related to, but distinct from, the observer-expectancy effect, in which it is the researcher's own expectation that biases the outcome.

Facts
Core Claim
The subject-expectancy effect occurs when a research subject's own expectation of a result unconsciously affects the outcome, or leads the subject to report the expected result rather than what actually happened. 1
Classification
Type of Phenomenon
Cognitive Phenomenon 1
Sources
1. Subject-expectancy effect, Wikipedia
  • opening definition paragraph
    the subject-expectancy effect, is a form of reactivity that occurs when a research subject expects a given result and therefore unconsciously affects the outcome, or reports the expected result.
  • lead section, phenomenon-kind classification
    In scientific research and psychotherapy, the subject-expectancy effect, is a form of reactivity that occurs when a research subject expects a given result and therefore unconsciously affects the outcome, or reports the expected result.
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.