Psychology of the Scientist

X. Observer Bias in Classical Conditioning of the Planarian

Bibliographic Data

ID13660440
AuthorsLucian Cordaro (University of Rochester, corresponding author), James R Ison (0000-0001-6267-5220, University of Rochester)
Year1963
Volume13
Issue3
Pages787-789
Publication date1963-12-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychological Reports (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-2941 • E-ISSN: 1558-691X
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2466/pr0.1963.13.3.787
OpenAlexW2042422579
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited1

Three groups of undergraduate volunteers were given differential expectancies about S's behavior prior to their observations of planaria undergoing conditioning. Group HE ( n = 5) received a high response expectancy, Group LE ( n = 5) a low response expectancy, and Group HLE observed one planarian under each expectancy condition. Group HE reported 18% contractions and 49% head turns in 100 trials whereas Group LE reported but 9% and 9.9%. Group HLE reported 15.4% contractions and 30% head turns under high expectancy instructions, but only 4.8% and 15.4% under low expectancy instructions. Analyses of the effect of instructions between Groups HE and LE and within Group HLE both yielded significant F ratios ( P < .001). Although it is unwise to generalize from naive volunteers to sophisticated investigators, it is clear that response recording in planaria should be made less ambiguous, perhaps by taking photographic records

Conditioning · Developmental psychology · Expectancy theory · Planaria · Planarian · Statistics · Planarian Biology and Electrostimulation · Psychology · Social Psychology

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