double-blind study - 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.
No they get more expensive, airlines will always advise you to book in advance to take advantage of their best fares. Sometimes they do a special deal but not within a week of flying. I would try another airline or make different plans.
Their findings seek to answer every traveler's No. 1 question regarding airfares: How far in advance should I book to get the cheapest fare? And they do. Sort of. The short answer: Seven weeks before takeoff. On average, fares bottomed out 49 days before the flight, then increased slightly, but remained steady until about a month out.