Research: WIGAL and colleagues, Dep

Listed in Issue 26

Abstract

WIGAL and colleagues, Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens Georgia USA assessed the effects of experimenter expectancy upon resistance to respiratory air flow in healthy individuals.

Background

Methodology

Resistance to respiratory air flow was measured as total respiratory resistance (Rt). 3 naive experimental assistants collected air flow resistance responses from 30 people who, they had been advised, were either likely or unlikely to respond to the suggestion of breathing difficulty.

Results

The individuals were randomised to the 2 test conditions. Those people who were described to the experimenters as being likely to respond exhibited greater Rt increases to bronchoconstriction suggestion than those who had been described as unlikely to respond.

Conclusion

: These results confirm the presence of a source of variance which has not been considered previously in suggestion studies.

References

Wigal JK et al. Experimenter expectancy in resistance to respiratory air flow. Psychosom Med 59(3): 318-22. May-Jun 1997.

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