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.
Between two months and about two to three weeks before the flight date, the fare quotes remain mostly flat, with a slight upward trend. However, and perhaps paradoxically, there is a good chance of a price drop during this period.