What are demand characteristics in a research context?

Demand characteristics refer to the cues and signals that researchers inadvertently provide to participants, which can influence how the participants behave during a study. In this context, when participants become aware of the purpose of the research or the expectations associated with it, they may alter their behavior to align with those expectations. This can lead to results that are not truly reflective of their genuine responses or actions, as participants might attempt to please the researcher or confirm hypotheses they think the researcher is testing.

The understanding of demand characteristics is crucial for researchers to ensure that their findings are valid and reliable. To mitigate these influences, researchers often use strategies like deception, ensuring participants are unaware of the true purpose of the study, or implementing double-blind procedures where neither participants nor researchers know critical aspects of the study to minimize biases. This highlights the importance of being aware of how external cues can shape participant responses and the data collected.