We undertake to predict and control the behavior of the individual organism. (Skinner, 1953, p. 35) The object [of my research] has been to discover the functional relations which prevail between measurable aspects of behavior and various conditions and events in the life of the organism. The success of such a venture is gauged by the extent to which behavior can, as a result of the relationships discovered, actually be predicted and controlled. (Skinner, 1972, pp. 257-258) If we have achieved a true scientific understanding of man, we should be able to prove this in the actual prediction and control of his behavior. (Skinner, 1972, p. 259) The laboratory techniques . . . and their technological applications, emphasize the prediction and control of behavior via the manipulation of variables. Validation is found primarily in We gratefully acknowledge H. S. Pennypacker and E. F. Malagodi for their consummate assistance with the development of this article, W. A. Balliet for his contributions to an earlier version of this article and W. S. Verplanck and I. S. Schwartz for their comments on an earlier version.

Recent investigations in experimental psychology have shown somewhat striking results which indicate that experimenters (Es) may and do influence their data. This problem was considered in relation to the areas of: experimental, counseling, and testing psychology. A historical review revealed that although the influence of E has been generally acknowledged, an unconcerned attitude towards this phenomenon has been taken, especially by experimental psychologists. Counseling psychology has been most concerned with the experimenter effect because this is closely related to the counseling situation. Workers in this area have not only recognized but have atempted to manipulate E influence. In the field of testing, investigators have reported significant variability in Ss' performances as a result of E characteristics.

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