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What is the English word / phrase for things / persons that are experimented on? I think of experimentee but I believe there may be more common words.

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closed as general reference by FumbleFingers, Robusto, Cameron, MετάEd, ghoppe Oct 12 '12 at 19:06


You're probably thinking of the subject [of the experiment]. If so, I think that's General Reference. – FumbleFingers Oct 12 '12 at 0:04
Perhaps the subject? – J.R. Oct 12 '12 at 0:04

3 Answers 3

up vote 10 down vote accepted

Subject (or research subject) may be the most common one. Guinea pig for unwitting subjects, or subjects unethically treated.

In psychological experiments a confederate is a study assistant that interacts with the subject but whom the subject believes is not involved in any such capacity. Typically subjects are led to believe that confederates are also subjects.

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Participant is being pushed as a replacement for subject. – emory Oct 12 '12 at 2:22
see the APA on subjects versus participants: – Jeromy Anglim Oct 12 '12 at 5:12
@emory Some reference would be nice. – Kris Oct 12 '12 at 6:09
Note that "guinea pig" is also permitted when the subjects are in fact guinea pigs. – lonesomeday Oct 12 '12 at 8:08

The thing you conduct your experiment on is its subject.

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I've written a few research protocols for human subjects. – Fuhrmanator Oct 12 '12 at 0:07
Thing, or as in the present case, a person or any animate object. – Kris Oct 12 '12 at 6:10

Human subjects


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