Hello everyone! Welcome to the first blog post of the semester!
What is deception? Deception is just simply providing false information to the participants of the study.
What is incomplete disclosure? Incomplete disclosure is a type of deception where the real purpose of a study/research is not given to the participants of said study.
These two things are extremely important to distinguish in a study because it will most definitely make a difference in how the study is reviewed by the IRB. In some cases, deception is necessary because prior knowledge of the true aim of the study may alter responses from the participants. For example, a study examining how emotions affect decision making may not inform participants of the study they’re being studied based on their emotions because the researcher wants authentic reactions. The IRB reviews studies that involve deception because participants cannot fully consent to a study if they are given false information. The IRB has to determine whether the study needed to use deception, or if they study could be completed without it. All studies using deception require a debriefing script, describing the true aim of the study and making sure that the participant gives permission to gives permission for their data to be used for the study.
As far as incomplete disclosure, it may be necessary in some cases, only when the researcher documents that it is justified under criteria of federal regulations. Use of incomplete disclosure generally includes minimal risk, the safety and welfare of the participants must be not affected. However, these research techniques might raise concerns for the IRB because it involves manipulating the participant’s ability on whether they want to participate in the study or not. The IRB also discourages use of these techniques if there are better alternatives to yield the researchers’ desired results, if it doesn’t protect the participants interests, and if the risk of participation is not clear to the participant.
If you are unsure if your study involves deception or incomplete disclosure, please contact the IRB at (312) 341-2449 or dsomerville@roosevelt.edu.