Deceptive Practices

Definition

Untruthful or misleading techniques used in psychological studies that can influence participants' beliefs or actions without their full knowledge or consent.

Related terms

Informed Consent:

Ethical requirement for researchers to obtain permission from participants after clearly explaining the purpose, procedures, risks, benefits, and their right to withdraw from a study.

Demand Characteristics: Cues within an experiment that may lead participants to guess the researcher's hypothesis or expected outcomes.

Placebo Effect:

When a participant's belief in receiving a treatment leads to real psychological or physiological changes even if the treatment itself is inactive.