Research studies occasionally involve the deception of subjects. Subject deception is typically used to promote scientific validity, with subjects provided with false or incomplete information about the research in order to obtain unbiased data with respect to the subjects’ attitudes and behavior when complete or truthful disclosure is expected to produce biased results. While deception can be an effective tool for the conduct of research, it also raises ethical concerns with subject autonomy and respect for persons, as well as regulatory issues with informed consent requirements. The purpose of this guidance is to help researchers identify and plan for the use of deception in research. Points to Consider When Using Deception in Research Deception and Informed Consent Deception and Consent Documents Deception Involving Audio or Video Recordings Preparing an IRB Application Involving Deception Defining Deception For the purposes of this document, deception means the use of deliberately misleading communication with subjects about research purposes or activities. Types of deception are defined as follows:
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