Research Purpose Information and Affective Instrument Scores

Abstract

Research studies have indicated that when subjects are given cues or information about the purpose of a research study the scores on a psychological measure tend to increase in a positive direction. In this study 100 undergraduate students were assigned to one of three treatment groups. The first group received information stating that high scores on the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory (MTAI) revealed a potentially successful teacher. The second group obtained neutral information. The third group was told that high scores on the MTAI resulted in potentially poor teachers. The results indicated that both positive and negative information increased the scores of subjects on the MTAI and suggested that the validity of the MTAI might be compromised.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Cook, W. W. , Leeds, C. H. , and Callis, R. Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory (Manual. New York : The Psychological Corporation, 1951.

Dolly, J. P. The effect of providing research purpose information when treatment is delayed. Journal of Psychology, 1978, 99, 249-254.

Dolly, J. P. , Bell, M. E. , and Meredith, V. H. The use of informational formats to implement A.P.A. ethical principles in collecting classroom data. Journal of Psychology, 1978, 99, 3-13,

Dolly, J. P. , Meredith, V. H. , and Scott, C. C. An attempt to assess effects of implementing A.P.A. ethical guidelines on data collected in a classroom setting. Psychological Reports , 1977, 40, 947-953.

Resnick, J. H. , and Schwartz, T. Ethical standards as an independent variable in psychological research. American Psychologist, 1973, 28, 134-139.

Rosenthal, R. Experimenter effects in behavioral research. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts , 1966.

Rosenthal, R. and Rosnow, R. L. (Eds.) Artifact in behavioral research. New York: Academic Press, 1969.

Weber, S. J. and Cook, T. D. Subject effects in laboratory research: An examination of subject roles, demand characteristics, and valid inference. Psychological Bulletin, 1972, 77, 272-295.