Double-blind Procedure (Noun)
Meaning
An experimental procedure in which neither the subjects of the experiment nor the persons administering the experiment know the critical aspects of the experiment; "a double-blind procedure is used to guard against both experimenter bias and placebo effects".
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- To minimize experimenter bias and placebo effects, psychologists often use a double-blind procedure when conducting clinical trials of new treatments.
- A double-blind procedure ensured that neither the researchers nor the patients knew which group was given the actual medication in the experiment.
- By implementing a double-blind procedure in the experiment, researchers successfully isolated the actual impact of the supplement.
- A team of researchers relied on a double-blind procedure when examining the cognitive benefits associated with omega-3 supplements in teenagers.
- Pharmaceutical companies have historically utilized double-blind procedures during Phase 3 trials in evaluating potential medicines before approving and licensing new prescription treatments.