The Bio-Social Experimenter Effect: An Overview
The Bio-Social Experimenter Effect (BSEE) is a phenomenon first described by psychologist Leon Festinger in the 1950s. It describes how researchers may influence the results of their experiments due to their own personal characteristics, such as gender, race, or ethnicity. This effect has been studied extensively in the field of social psychology, and it can have a significant impact on the outcomes of experiments. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the BSEE, its implications, and the research surrounding it.
The BSEE is related to the concept of the experimenter effect. This is a well-known phenomenon in the field of psychology which occurs when the results of an experiment are affected by the expectations of the researcher conducting it. For instance, if the researcher expects a certain outcome, they may be more likely to find it. The BSEE extends this concept to include the physical and social characteristics of the researcher. It suggests that the results of an experiment can be influenced by the researcher’s gender, race, ethnicity, or other personal characteristics.
Studies have shown that the BSEE can have a significant impact on the results of experiments. For example, one study found that women were more likely to report higher levels of anxiety than men when the experimenter was a woman, but the reverse was true when the experimenter was a man. This suggests that the gender of the experimenter can influence the results of an experiment.
Other studies have examined the impact of the researcher’s race or ethnicity on the results of an experiment. One study found that participants were more likely to report higher levels of anxiety when the experimenter was of a different race than them. This suggests that the race of the experimenter can influence the results of an experiment.
Research has also shown that the BSEE can affect the reliability of experiments. For instance, one study found that the results of experiments were more reliable when the experimenter was of the same race or ethnicity as the participants. This suggests that the experimenter’s race and ethnicity can affect the reliability of the results of an experiment.
Overall, the BSEE is an important phenomenon that can have a significant impact on the results of experiments. It is important for researchers to be aware of the potential for the BSEE to influence the results of their experiments, and to take steps to ensure that their own personal characteristics do not affect the results.
References
Festinger, L. (1954). A Theory of Social Comparison Processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117-140.
Hagemann, D., & Haslam, S. A. (2008). The Social Experimenter Effect. In S. T. Fiske, & C. N. Macrae (Eds.), The Handbook of Social Psychology (5th ed., pp. 925-946). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Pendry, A. L., & Lopez, S. J. (2007). The Experimenter Effect: Is There a Bias in Social Psychology? Social Issues and Policy Review, 1(1), 133-152.
Wright, S. C., Aron, A., McLaughlin-Volpe, T., & Ropp, S. A. (1997). The Influence of Experimenter Race on Responses to a Stressful Situation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23(6), 594-601.