The Subject-Expectancy Effect
Updated 2026-08-08
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
A methodological artifact in experimental psychology, related to the demand characteristics described by Martin Orne. When participants infer what the study is testing, they tend to behave as they believe a good subject should, either confirming or undermining the hypothesis. The distortion contaminates results even without any experimenter bias. Controls include blinding participants to the true hypothesis, using placebo conditions, and measuring awareness afterward.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Hide the hypothesis: design studies and interviews so participants cannot guess what answer you want - Ask indirectly: prefer behavioral measures over direct questions about the thing under study - Verify awareness: check afterward how much of the hypothesis participants actually guessed
Anchor fast decisions
Participants are active interpreters of the situation rather than passive responders, and they infer the purpose from the procedure, the questions, and the setting. Once the purpose is guessed, cooperating with it becomes the socially appropriate response, which shifts reported attitudes and observed behavior. The shift is unconscious, so asking people whether they were influenced will not detect it.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subject-expectancy_effectverified
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