Informed consent

• Informed consent involved making participants aware of the aims of the research, the procedures, their rights (including the right to withdraw partway through the investigation should they so wish) and also what their data will be used for
• participants should then make an informed judgement whether or not to take part without being coerced or feeling obliged
• from the researchers’ point of view asking for informed consent may make the study meaningless because participants behaviour will not be natural as they know the aims of the study
• participants should be issued with a consent letter or form detailing all relevant information that might affect their decision to participate
• participant agrees this is then signed
• For investigations involving children under 16 a signature of parental consent is required
• presumptive consent: rather than getting consent from the participant themselves, a similar group of people are asked if the study is acceptable. if this group agrees, then consent of the original participant is ’presumed‘
• Prior general consent: participants give their permission to take part in a number of different studies- including one that will involve deception. By consenting, participants are essentially consenting to be deceived
• retrospective consent: participants are asked for their consent (during debriefing) having already taken part in the study. they may not have been aware of their participation or they may have been subject to deception