Which of the following is an example of observer bias?
A. You ask your fellow students to be participants in a study of adult memory.
B. You ask people from your church to participate in a study of family values.
C. You develop an opinion of what you expect to see in an experiment.
D. You allow a student to quit an experiment simply because he or she is bored.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is C. You develop an opinion of what you expect to see in an experiment.
Explanation:
Observer bias refers to the tendency of researchers or observers to see what they expect to see, rather than what is actually there, which can influence the results of an experiment. This type of bias can occur when the researcher’s preconceived notions or beliefs about the experiment shape how they collect or interpret data.
In option C, the researcher develops an opinion of what they expect to see in an experiment. This expectation can lead to the unintentional influence of how they observe or record data, skewing the results to align with their hypothesis or personal beliefs. For example, if a researcher expects a certain outcome, they might focus more on evidence that supports their hypothesis and ignore contradictory findings. This can result in distorted or biased results, making the study less reliable and valid.
The other options do not directly describe observer bias:
- A. You ask your fellow students to be participants in a study of adult memory refers to sampling bias, as selecting a specific group of participants (e.g., fellow students) may not represent the broader adult population, which can limit the generalizability of the findings.
- B. You ask people from your church to participate in a study of family values is also an example of sampling bias, as participants from a specific group (in this case, members of a church) might share common values that do not reflect the diversity of the general population.
- D. You allow a student to quit an experiment simply because he or she is bored describes participant attrition or drop-out, which can introduce bias into the study, but it is not an example of observer bias. It pertains to participant engagement rather than the observer’s influence on the study.
Therefore, C is the best example of observer bias, as it highlights how the researcher’s expectations can affect how they interpret or record observations in an experiment.