Research methods - ethics

Masters in Creative Technologies

(MA/MSc)

Ethics and Human Participants 23 October 2015

Dr Tracy Harwood, Senior Research Fellow

Institute of Creative Technologies / Usability Lab @ De Montfort University

E [email protected]

Piano Stairs (Fun Theory) Rolighetsteorin, Sweden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw

Antony Gormley’s Event Horizon (New York)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/arts/design/19gormley.html?_r=0

Dismaland Bemusement Park (Banksy et al) Weston-Super-Mare UK

overview �  Designing research

�  Doing data collection

�  Conduct and Process

�  Contemporary issues �  new technologies �  neurosciences �  mixed methods (transdisciplinarity)

�  Scenarios

PBR research context

Do people become engaged with the artefact? Is that

engagement sustained? What are the factors

that influence the nature of the engagement?

Does engagement relate to pleasure, frustration,

challenge or anger, for example?

Edmonds, Introduction to PBR, see materials posted Nov 2013

overview of creative engagement

expectation

unintended

expectation

deliberate

expectation

intended / in control

expectation

intended / uncertain

or unexpected

interaction mode

interaction phases

adaptation

learning

adaptation

anticipation

deeper undertanding

Edmonds, Introduction to PBR, see materials posted Nov 2013


PBR has allowed researchers to (Candy & Edmonds, 2011)

�  “…ask questions that would not have surfaced any other way. It has enabled me to connect to audience experience of the work; my own experience of the work (in a systematic way).”

�  “…create artworks, come up with conclusions that have practical relevance to the creation of interaction artworks.”

�  “…follow a methodology closely related to the professional practice as an artist I have been following over many years.”

�  “…address my research questions through practice and to create new knowledge through practice.”

�  “…investigate the broader implications of (this) earlier work: why that research was of interest to my arts practice.”


�  PBR implies the need to consider ethics �  Intention (of research) �  Product (consequences –

positive/negative) �  Conduct (authorship, intellectual

property, plagiarism, fabrication, negligence)

�  Process (conduct of research, governance, compliance, reputation, treatment of humans as sources of data)

Stahl, 2013, human research ethics (video), www.dmu.ac.uk/research/research-and-governance/

ethics : the DMU policy

�  Research environment based on �  Honesty > intention towards research �  Openness > accessibility of outputs �  Care > respect for environment of research as well

as participants �  Integrity > declaration of conflicts of interest �  Accountability > aligned with T&Cs of any funding

http://www.dmu.ac.uk/documents/research-documents/ethics-faculty-procedures/ethics-and-governance-general-/dmu-guidelines-good-research-practice.pdf

ethics : the requirements

Ethical issues to be formally considered during an ethical review by Faculty research committee (DMU ethics form) -

•  Collection of data directly from people (e.g. interviewing, surveying, questionnaires, observation of human behaviour)

•  Collection of data about individuals whose identity can be detected from the data (includes the use of archived data in which individuals are identifiable such as patient records)

•  Research involving a possible danger to the researcher

•  Research involving illegal activities, activities at the margins of the law or activities that have a risk of injury

•  Research that may give rise to ethically relevant results

www.dmu.ac.uk/research/ethics-and-governnance/

Ethics : misconduct

�  Falsification

�  Plagiarism

�  Misrepresentation of data

�  Breach of duty of care

http://www.dmu.ac.uk/documents/research-documents/ethics-faculty-procedures/ethics-and-governance-general-/dmu-guidelines-good-research-practice.pdf

designing research

validity

An interactive model of research design (Maxwell, 1996)

methods

research questions

conceptual context purposes

doing data collection : method

�  existing data set interrogation �  + readily available and cost effective �  - historical

�  observation �  + non-intrusive(?) and response rates �  - interpretation

�  survey �  + straight forward and easily analysed �  - sample bias, response rates and cost


�  focus groups / interviews �  number of participants �  moderator �  roles �  discussion �  stimuli �  duration


� neuroscience / human factors analysis � psychology � physiology � behaviour

doing data collection: sampling

�  homogenous �  maximum variation

(heterogeneous) �  critical case �  confirming/disconfirming case �  snowball/chain �  typical case �  political �  purposeful (random) �  convenience

doing data collection : validity

�  influence of medium > truthfulness

�  ‘we think’ > social dynamics

�  attention > preparedness to participate

�  experience > ability to elucidate

PBR : complex mix of product, conduct & process

�  legals �  privacy in communications �  data protection > opt-in, opt out

�  practical data management

�  scenario

�  codes of conduct (respect, competence, responsibility, integrity) �  ESRC / EPSRC �  British Sociological Society �  British Computer Society �  British Psychological Society �  Market Research Society

scenario : LG smart TV

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25018225 http://doctorbeet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/lg-smart-tvs-logging-usb-filenames-and.html#comment-form

•  What it does: information is sent back unencrypted to LG every time you change channel, even if you have gone to the trouble of changing the setting above to switch collection of viewing information off.

•  Company rationale: LG Smart Ad analyses users favourite programs, online behaviour, search keywords and other information to offer relevant ads to target audiences; can feature sharp suits to men, or alluring cosmetics and fragrances to women; offers useful and various advertising performance reports; accurately identifies actual advertising effectiveness.

MRS code principles researchers shall 1.  ensure that participation in their activities is

based on voluntary informed consent 2.  be straightforward and honest in all their

professional and business relationships 3.  be transparent as to the subject and purpose

of data collection 4.  respect the confidentiality of information

collected in their professional activities 5.  respect the rights and well being of all

individuals

MRS code principles 6.  ensure that respondents are not harmed or

adversely affected by their professional activities

7. balance the needs of individuals, clients, and their professional activities

8. exercise independent professional judgement in the design, conduct and reporting of their professional activities

9. ensure that their professional activities are conducted by persons with appropriate training, qualifications and experience

10. protect the reputation and integrity of the profession

MRS code principles 6.  ensure that respondents are not harmed or

adversely affected by their professional activities

7. balance the needs of individuals, clients, and their professional activities

8. exercise independent professional judgement in the design, conduct and reporting of their professional activities

9. ensure that their professional activities are conducted by persons with appropriate training, qualifications and experience

10. protect the reputation and integrity of the profession

goods or services, or

vouchers to purchase client

goods or services, must not

be used as incentives in a

research project

DMU conduct principles �  voluntary

�  autonomy - not coerced or misled �  informed consent / language �  awareness of recording equipment / invasiveness

�  anonymity �  all stages of research �  express permission for participation �  explanation of research process

�  harm / consequences �  understand implications �  injury? How this is mitigated

�  children / young people �  under age of consent > adult permission/supervision

needed

�  researcher identity

contemporary considerations

�  harms-benefits analysis �  social / psychological / emotional /environmental / economic

�  conflict of interest

�  inclusiveness and justice

�  globalization / cultural sensitivity

�  multiple identities > online, offline

�  privacy/confidentiality in context of surveillance society

�  digital manipulation (eg., photography, other media)

�  PBR > experiential, user embedded, relational, interactive

�  >>> practical implications for design of research

scenario : iBeacon

•  App, used in conjunction with a third-party iBeacon or an iPad configured as an iBeacon •  An app from a company on your device – when installed (eg., Walmart shopping app) you

allow it access to your location •  It is an ‘opt in’ system - the app and iBeacons enable pushes of ‘micro-location’-based

alerts eg., to shoppers about deals or particular sections of the store •  The beacons do this by using ‘ranging’ based on Bluetooth signal strength to determine

physical location •  Useful for indoor mapping (and retail)

http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/07/the-open-secret-of-ibeacon-apple-could-have-250m-units-in-the-wild-by-2014/

PBR : ethical challenges?

� What are key issues for practice-based research?

PBR : creative’s dilemma

� Framing of experience

� Nature of consent

� Treatment of personal and scientific data

� Safety and risk management

� Deliberately causing discomfort

� Engaging bystanders in public settings

http://www.blasttheory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Act-Otherwise-2013-Report.pdf

scenario : creative’s dilemma

�  control and openness

�  illusion of choice

�  devices and space

�  narrative, story and tension

�  openness and boundaries

�  transgression

�  visceral experiences

�  levels of experience

�  interactions and endings

�  systems and models of oppenness

�  rules vs flexibility

�  due diligence

�  audience participation with work

http://www.blasttheory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Act-Otherwise-2013-Report.pdf

conclusions

•  Key to ethics is harm vs benefits analysis •  University regulations •  Principals of ethical conduct in research process •  PBR > design considerations for complex

interrelationships between practice, research questions and participants

Education

Research methods - ethics