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Proposing modesty for informed consent

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  • Burgess, Michael M.

Abstract

The extension of informed consent into social science research has met with considerable opposition. The history and concept of informed consent, however, is based on a substantive ethical notion of the research relationship as informed and voluntary that is appropriate for social science research relationships. Yet social science research might sometimes be different from health research in ways that justify a different approach to informed consent and research relationships. Social science research tends to have a lower magnitude of risk, usually does not need to disrupt the therapeutic assumption common in health research contexts or when researchers are health professionals, and recruitment is sometimes incremental and reflects a building of trust and development of the research participant's role. These differences may sometimes justify novel approaches to the research relationship and require case-by-case evaluation to determine their relevance to establishing the informed and voluntary nature of the relationship through the use of informed consent procedures. Ultimately, respect for research participants requires social research into practices that can support or replace informed consent. The institutional role of informed consent and the goal of informed and voluntary research participation serve modest but important roles in health and social research. Their proper role in health and social research requires flexibility and experimentation, but does not justify abdication of informed consent or the notion of informed and voluntary participation.

Suggested Citation

  • Burgess, Michael M., 2007. "Proposing modesty for informed consent," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(11), pages 2284-2295, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:65:y:2007:i:11:p:2284-2295
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kaufmann, Caroline L., 1983. "Informed consent and patient decision making: Two decades of research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 17(21), pages 1657-1664, January.
    2. Ubel, P. A. & Loewenstein, G., 1997. "The role of decision analysis in informed consent: Choosing between intuition and systematicity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 44(5), pages 647-656, March.
    3. Benatar, S. R., 2002. "Reflections and recommendations on research ethics in developing countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 54(7), pages 1131-1141, April.
    4. Kent, Gerry, 1996. "Shared understandings for informed consent: The relevance of psychological research on the provision of information," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 43(10), pages 1517-1523, November.
    5. Murphy, Elizabeth & Dingwall, Robert, 2007. "Informed consent, anticipatory regulation and ethnographic practice," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(11), pages 2223-2234, December.
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    1. Philippe Robert-Demontrond & Amélie Bellion, 2016. "L'éthique en ethnomarketing : de la juridictionnalisation des recherches à une morale incarnée," Post-Print hal-01865104, HAL.
    2. Secko, David M. & Preto, Nina & Niemeyer, Simon & Burgess, Michael M., 2009. "Informed consent in biobank research: A deliberative approach to the debate," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 781-789, February.

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