How is experimente effect how is it related to self-fulfilling prophecy and how it can minimized?

Question

pshycology

Answer 1

The experimental effect is the principle that tells us that even the observation of any being or act alters the essential nature of the experiment. The reasons for which any experiment is undertaken not withstanding, the experimental effect must be accounted for.

I suppose, after thinking about your question, that I can see how you might relate that to a self fulfilling prophecy? That's pretty zen.

If we know that what we are about to do will have a specific effect as a consequence of our doing it, do we actually create a self fulfilling prophecy?

I'm starring your question not only be case it's interesting, but because I don't know that it has a correct or provable answer.

I'll be sticking around to see other answers in the hope that I may learn something new.

Answer 2

I don't know it you can call it self-fulfilling prophecy. Even in QUantum Mechanics, when measuring and recording subatomic particles, observation does influence the outcome of the data. And,a s we all know, subatomic particles aren't alive; they merely do what they were made to do. Is this self fulfilling prophecy? Because things have to be observed to be experimented.

I say as long as a scientist takes into account he is observing someone for the purpose of experimentation, then it isn't necessarily self-fulfilling prophecy. No one can be completely unbiased in thier research, but the point is to try.

If you want a prime example of self-fulfilling prophecy in science, take a look at early Eugenics in the 1800s and early 1900s. At this time in Eugenics, people measured the skull and other bones and physical features, and went in with the assumption that non-whites and females were inferior to white males. Therefore, everyone who had smaller skulls had smaller brains and were inferior, and if a person had profound brow ridges and excessive hair they were stupid and or barbaric. They didnt take into accoutn that every person on this earth has different physical measurments, and that as of yet there really is no relation between physical characteristics and brain capacity (with the exception of people who have down syndrome and retardation. Then again, this doesnt necessarily always hold true).

So early Eugenics were certainly a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. These "scientists" made sure the data reflected what they predicted, even changing data to suit what they thought should be.

But, you do bring up a good point. Many scientists believe in the Big Bang, and there are certainly plenty of data to support. However, there are sufficient loopholes and flaws in the theory. If you took the Big Bang Theory, and compiled all the data and theories into one book, it would easily trump the Bible in size. And, I'd guarantee you that there would be more flaws, more inconsistencies, and more out-of-this-world possibilities than the Bible ever suggested. Yet, we fight and strive to make the Big Bang Theory and Relativity true, because right now we know it must be. Otherwise, our logic is flawed, along with our discoveries thus far.

So, I have to agree with the first answer. While scientists do attempt to be unbaised with each experiment, in the Big Picture and long run, its all trying to prove the Big Bang Theory and Relativity hold true. We even invented Dark Matter and Dark Energy to explain inconsistencies in BB and Relativity.

So, in single experiemnts, I dont think there is this self-fulfilling prophecy. In the big picture, I think there is some self-fulfilling going on.

d**n good question. No wonder more people aren't answering. This is a toughy.

Take care and God bless :)

Answer 3

I read somewhere that when Mendel was doing his experiments on garden peas, his assistant fudged the results to prove the hypothesis that Mendel was making. In this case it does not matter because the experiment has been repeated and Mendel's Theory holds up well. So repeating an experiment is one way to minimize the effect.

Another way is to conduct a double blind experiment is conducted. For example in drug testing: one group is given the active ingredient and the other group is given a placebo. A statistical analysis is performed on the results of the two groups to see whether there is a significant difference between the two.