Experimenter Presence or Absence: An Experimental Analogue with Implications for Organizational Behavior Management. Issue 4 (2nd October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Palmer, Michael G.; Johnson, C. Merle; Davis, Brian
• Is Part Of: Journal of organizational behavior management. Volume 38:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 324
• Page End: 334
• Publication Date: 2018-10-02
• Subjects: experimenter effects -- human lab research -- managerial presence -- off-task behavior -- social facilitation; Organizational behavior -- Management -- Periodicals; 302.3505
• DOI: 10.1080/01608061.2018.1526755
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-8061

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Students performed a simulated bank-proofing task individually in a lab with either the experimenter present or absent. Although run rates were similar, those in the Experimenter-Absent Group were off-task twice as much during sessions. Error frequencies for both groups were low and similar while rates of responding were significantly higher (+13%) in the Experimenter-Present Group because participants were off-task less often. Most human lab experiments fail to specify whether experimenters are present or absent in the room and this extraneous variable is a potential confound that should be controlled in future studies.