Double-blind experiment

Definition

A double-blind experiment is a study where neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving a particular treatment. This design helps to eliminate bias and ensure more reliable results.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Double-blind experiments help control for both participant and experimenter bias.
2. They are commonly used in clinical trials to test new medications or treatments.
3. Blinding can be compromised, so it's important to have measures in place to maintain it.
4. Results from double-blind studies are often considered more credible due to reduced bias.
5. Double-blind designs are particularly useful when subjective judgment is involved in data collection.

Review Questions

• Why is blinding important in an experimental design?
• How does a double-blind experiment differ from a single-blind experiment?
• What types of studies most frequently use double-blind experiments?

Related terms

Single-Blind Experiment: An experiment where only the participants do not know whether they are receiving the treatment or a placebo.

Placebo Effect: The phenomenon where participants experience improvements simply because they believe they are receiving a treatment.

Randomization: The process of randomly assigning participants to different groups to ensure that each group is comparable.