Final answer:
A confederate is used by researchers in a study to control social situations and ensure the integrity of the experiment without the true participants' knowledge. This approach is useful in studies requiring natural responses unaffected by participants' awareness of the study's true purpose. It is essential to follow ethical guidelines concerning deception and informed consent when using confederates.
Step-by-step explanation:
A researcher might use a confederate in a study to manipulate social situations and control participant behavior for the integrity of the experiment. The presence of confederates, who are in on the research's aims, allows for the observation of genuine reactions from true, naïve participants who are unaware of the confederate's role. An example of the use of confederates can be found in Asch's conformity experiment, where confederates knowingly gave incorrect answers to see if the true participant would conform to group pressure. Likewise, in Schachter & Singer's study, the confederate displayed scripted behaviors to observe the participant's response to induced emotional states.
In cases where research deception is necessary to prevent bias, confederates may be utilized under ethical guidelines that require a debriefing to inform participants about the true nature of the experiment after its conclusion. The use of confederates must always consider the ethical implications, especially around informed consent and the potential for harm.