Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Doppelblind / Español: doble ciego / Português: duplo cego / Français: double aveugle / Italiano: doppio cieco

Double-blind is defined as an experimental design in which neither the subjects nor those who dispense the treatment condition have knowledge of who receives the treatment and who receives the placebo.

In the context of psychology, double-blind refers to an experimental procedure in which neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving a particular treatment. This method is used to prevent bias in research results, ensuring that the outcomes are influenced solely by the experiment itself and not by participants' or experimenters' expectations.

Description

A double-blind study is crucial for maintaining objectivity in psychological experiments, particularly those testing the efficacy of new therapies, medications, or psychological interventions. By keeping both the subjects and the researchers unaware of who is receiving the treatment and who is receiving a placebo (if applicable), this method minimizes the placebo effect and researcher bias. It ensures that any differences observed in the outcomes can be attributed more confidently to the treatment itself rather than to preconceived notions or expectations.

Application Areas

Double-blind methodologies are employed across various fields within psychology:

• Clinical psychology: Used in testing the effectiveness of psychological treatments and pharmaceuticals.
• Cognitive psychology: Applied in experiments to assess the impact of cognitive interventions without bias.
• Social psychology: Utilized to evaluate the influence of social interventions in a controlled, unbiased manner.

Well-Known Examples

A well-known example of a double-blind procedure can be found in drug efficacy trials, where neither the patients nor the administering doctors know whether a placebo or the actual drug is being administered. This method is standard in clinical trials to determine the true effects of drugs with psychological impacts, such as antidepressants.

Treatment and Risks

Implementing a double-blind methodology comes with several considerations:

• Complexity and Cost: Double-blind studies can be more complex and costly to administer than other types of studies due to the need for careful control and monitoring.
• Ethical considerations: It's crucial to ensure that participants provide informed consent, understanding that they may receive a placebo or an active treatment without knowing which one during the study.

Articles with 'Double-blind' in the title

• Double-blind control: A Double-blind control refers to procedure in outcome research that prevents bias by ensuring that neither the subjects nor the providers of the experimental treatment know who is receiving treatment and who is receiving a placebo
• Double-blind experiment: Double-blind experiment is defined as an experimental procedure in which neither the researcher nor the patient knows whether the patient received the real treatment or the placebo until pre-coded records indicating which patient received w . . .
• Double-blind procedure: Double-blind procedure refers to a procedure for circumventing the effects of experimenter or participant expectations. In a double-blind study, neither the participant nor the experimenter knows what treatment the participant is receiving . . .
• Double-blind testing: Double-blind testing is a term used in Forensic psychology that refers to a lineup administration in which neither the police officer nor the witness knows which lineup member is the suspect
• Double-blind design: Double-blind design refers to a Research design in which neither the experimenter nor the participants know who is in the experimental Group and who is in the Control group
• Double-blind research: Double-blind research refers to a research study in which both the researcher and the participants are unaware of the predicted outcome.
• Double-blind research design: Double-blind research design refers to an experimental design in which the subjects and the principal investigator are not aware of the experimental treatment order
• Double-blind technique: Double-blind technique refers to an experimental procedure in which neither the person giving the treatment nor the person receiving the treatment knows whether the participant is in the experimental or control group
• Double-blind study: Double-blind study is defined as a study in which neither the participant nor the experimenter knows which condition the participant is in.

Summary

In psychology, a double-blind study is a research method designed to eliminate bias by ensuring that neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving a particular treatment. This approach is fundamental in research settings to help validate the efficacy of treatments and interventions by providing a clear, unbiased view of their effects.

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