Blind trust in unblinded observation in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior
We survey 492 recent studies in the fields of ecology, evolution and behavior (EEB) to evaluate potential for observer bias and the need for blind experimentation in each study. While 248 articles included experiments that could have been influenced by observer bias, only 13.3% of these articles ind...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fevo.2015.00051/full |
| _version_ | 1811196821136998400 |
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| author | Melissa R Kardish Melissa R Kardish Ulrich G. Mueller Sabrina eAmador-Vargas Emma I Dietrich Rong eMa Brian eBarrett Chi-Chun eFang |
| author_facet | Melissa R Kardish Melissa R Kardish Ulrich G. Mueller Sabrina eAmador-Vargas Emma I Dietrich Rong eMa Brian eBarrett Chi-Chun eFang |
| author_sort | Melissa R Kardish |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We survey 492 recent studies in the fields of ecology, evolution and behavior (EEB) to evaluate potential for observer bias and the need for blind experimentation in each study. While 248 articles included experiments that could have been influenced by observer bias, only 13.3% of these articles indicated that experiments were blinded. The use of blind observation therefore was either grossly underreported in the surveyed articles, or many EEB studies were not blinded. We hope that a concerted effort of the field of EEB – including researchers, peer-reviewers, and journal editors – will help promote and institute routine, blind observation as an essential standard that should be practiced by all sciences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:05:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94e27985978f435386a6e85abc1c3ef7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:05:45Z |
| publishDate | 2015-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-94e27985978f435386a6e85abc1c3ef72022-12-22T03:54:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2015-05-01310.3389/fevo.2015.00051142945Blind trust in unblinded observation in Ecology, Evolution and BehaviorMelissa R Kardish0Melissa R Kardish1Ulrich G. Mueller2Sabrina eAmador-Vargas3Emma I Dietrich4Rong eMa5Brian eBarrett6Chi-Chun eFang7University of California, DavisUniversity of Texas, AustinUniversity of Texas, AustinUniversity of Texas, AustinUniversity of Texas, AustinUniversity of Texas, AustinUniversity of Texas, AustinUniversity of Texas, AustinWe survey 492 recent studies in the fields of ecology, evolution and behavior (EEB) to evaluate potential for observer bias and the need for blind experimentation in each study. While 248 articles included experiments that could have been influenced by observer bias, only 13.3% of these articles indicated that experiments were blinded. The use of blind observation therefore was either grossly underreported in the surveyed articles, or many EEB studies were not blinded. We hope that a concerted effort of the field of EEB – including researchers, peer-reviewers, and journal editors – will help promote and institute routine, blind observation as an essential standard that should be practiced by all sciences.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fevo.2015.00051/fullBehaviorEcologyevolutionBiasexperimental designconfirmation bias |
| spellingShingle | Melissa R Kardish Melissa R Kardish Ulrich G. Mueller Sabrina eAmador-Vargas Emma I Dietrich Rong eMa Brian eBarrett Chi-Chun eFang Blind trust in unblinded observation in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Behavior Ecology evolution Bias experimental design confirmation bias |
| title | Blind trust in unblinded observation in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior |
| title_full | Blind trust in unblinded observation in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior |
| title_fullStr | Blind trust in unblinded observation in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior |
| title_full_unstemmed | Blind trust in unblinded observation in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior |
| title_short | Blind trust in unblinded observation in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior |
| title_sort | blind trust in unblinded observation in ecology evolution and behavior |
| topic | Behavior Ecology evolution Bias experimental design confirmation bias |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fevo.2015.00051/full |
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