Coercion

I am fascinated with all that we are learning in regards to ethics and the process we go through to submit our proposal to the IRB. Everything I do in the field has to be ethical. To make sure this happens I will have to be approved by the IRB. Since we have been learning about this process and how to properly complete research I have found myself paying more attention to research studies that have been done. I have been asking myself it these studies were carried out properly. This leads me to an experience I had yesterday at work.

I work in the field of early intervention and many times research is gathered and studies are conducted to see progress or gain new insights into my field. My work has been completing training these past two days with an important figure in the Early Intervention Field. A few times during this training this person who has been instructing us has mentioned some studies that have been conducted. Things were said about some of the studies that made me question the validity of the research gathered. I wondered if it had been conducted properly.

Yesterday I was participating in this training. We had a small break and I went down to my office to quickly get some calling, and scheduling done for work. It took longer than expected and I happened to get back to the training a little late. I sat down and there was this paper being passed around which people were writing their names and emails on. I naturally assumed it was to collect our information so that the presenter could email us the power point slides. I assumed that because I’ve gone to many trainings and this happens frequently. However, that was not why the list was being passed around.

When I passed the list to one of my coworkers she asked the people around us what it was for. Apparently it was being passed around to gather the names of people who wanted to participate in a research project. Then a different coworker encouraged her to sign the paper saying something about how you were going to get a free video camera and this and that would happen if you participated, etc. I had missed all of this information being presented about the study we were all signing up for because I had gotten back late from the break. I’m grateful I found out that the list was for that purpose. I didn’t know all of the details of the study, but because of what they were telling me I already had enough information to know that I didn’t have enough information to know if I wanted to participate in the study or not. It seemed a bit fishy to me. I took the list and crossed my name of. Thank goodness I realized that by writing my name there I was saying I wanted to participate in a study. I just thought it was an emailing list for the power point. Too funny!

I am glad I realized what I was about to get myself into, and that I was able to get myself out of it, before it happened. I realize that research needs to be conducted properly. Since I understand more of the guidelines that should be followed during a study to make sure it is carried out properly I can better analyze studies themselves to see if they are valid. As well I can better prepare myself so that my research is done properly and according to the necessary guidelines.