5. Internet-Based Research

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this lecture, we think about internet-based research, focusing in particular on: (i) exploring the opportunities facilitated by the accessibility of the internet, including research on a large scale, research involving less accessible participants, and research conducted with greater speed and at a lower cost; (ii) the three types of internet research being participant active, participant passive, and observation; (iii) what each mean to undertake, the forms they can take, and the potential ethical issues that come along with them.

Course

In this course, Professor John Oates explores the ever-evolving field of research ethics. In the first lecture, we think about both the function and origin of research ethics, contextualising its principles within the British Psychological Society’s ethics framework. In the second lecture, we delve into an area of particular importance in the field – the ethics of research with children. One of the primary discussion points within this topic is the idea of consent and what constitutes valid/informed consent. In the third lecture, we broaden the conversation around consent to ways in which we might ascertain it as researchers. Next, we tackle what happens when unexpected events arise in research, outlining examples as incidental findings, participant disclosure, and adverse events. This lecture also addresses one of the more difficult aspects of research – deciding when to break a confidentiality agreement. In the fifth and final lecture, we bring research ethics into the modern age by exploring both the facilitated opportunities and ethical dilemmas brought about by the three main types of internet-based research.

Lecturer

John Oates is emeritus professor of developmental psychology at the Open University. His special field of research is child development, specifically perinatal mental health and early child development. Professor Oates is the lead for the British Psychological Society code of human research ethics and has a position in Brussels working for the European Research Council reviewing research bids. Some of Professor Oates’ recent publications include ‘Social constructions of mental health among Romani in Ukraine’ (2021) and ‘Mothers’ perceptions of their infants’ (2019).