Deception Studies

The use of deception in research is sometimes permitted.

Definition

Deception is the intentional misleading of subjects or the withholding of full information about the nature of the experiment. Misleading or omitted information might include the purpose of the research, the role of the researcher, or what procedures in the study are actually experimental. Deception increases ethical concerns, because it interferes with the ability of the subject to give informed consent. However, deception is arguably necessary for certain types of behavioral research. Because humans act differently depending on circumstances, full knowledge by the subject might bias the results.

Regulations

Federal regulations permit but establish limitations on the use of deception. The Investigator must provide scientific and ethical justification for deceptive procedures for the IRB review and approval. The missing information should not increase the risks of the study, and subjects must be fully debriefed. Subjects must have the opportunity to ask questions about the new information and be given the opportunity to withdraw from the study and have their data removed. Deception may not be utilized to obtain enrollments.

Click here to view the Waiver of Consent Form (.doc)

Some research can only be conducted without the full knowledge of the research subjects. Yet the use of deception in research raises special problems that the IRB will review closely. One consideration is whether the deception is necessary. An investigator proposing to use deception should justify its use. Present federal rules prohibit the use of deceptive techniques which place subjects at more than minimal risk.

Debriefing
UNLV IRBs expect investigators to debrief subjects who have been deceived during participation in research activities. The debriefing should include a detailed description of the ways in which deception was used. The investigator is responsible for ensuring that the subject leaves the research setting with an accurate understanding of the deception. The debriefing process, including any written materials, should be explained to the IRB as a part of submitted protocols.