Double-Blind Procedure
Definition
A double-blind procedure is an experimental method used to eliminate bias. In this setup, neither the participant nor the experimenter knows which group (control or experimental) the participant is in.
Analogy
It’s like playing a game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey at a party. Both you (the player) and your friend who spun you around (the guide) have no idea where exactly the donkey poster is on the wall. You’re both 'blind' in terms of knowing where your target lies - just like in a double-blind procedure!
Related terms
Single-Blind Study: Only one party, either the participant or researcher, does not know what treatment if any, individual subjects receive.
Placebo Effect: When a person experiences improvement from treatment due only to their expectation that it will work.
Random Assignment: Assigning participants randomly into different groups for an experiment.
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