Working in Social Science/Public Opinion research has made me very sympathetic to anyone who makes their living talking on the telephone. Something about the anonymity of the phone seems to make people feel very safe in expressing their deepest (racist/sexist/classist) thoughts to the interviewer. Conversely, many people are certain that you are trying to steal their money, their opinions, nay, their very souls through your insidious questioning about their attitudes toward any number of innocuous things. I want to discuss some basics of survey research and explain some of the qualities of any kind of opinion or attitudinal research. These are often the surveys that form the basis of the “97% of Americans HATE BREATHING AIR” kinds of stories that we see on a daily basis. Continue reading
research
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If you have ever been in college, grad school, or been poor, you’ve stared at the pieces of paper tacked to the wall or the ads in the back of the Village Voice.
Bipolar and untreated? We may have $300 for you. Female smoker between the ages of 18-34? Let’s say you get $200.
Most researchers aren’t nefarious, cruel, downright evil, or complete idiots. However, it is not unlikely that they are distracted by trying to get tenure, published, finish a dissertation, etc. So they aren’t exactly your friends either.
Here is a quick guide on how to choose a study and what your rights are.
What to shoot for
Avoid “going big”
The larger the payoff, the more likely you’re in for something painful, like a lumbar puncture; something dangerous, like early stage drug testing; or something time intensive that will have you chronicling minutiae of your life on a daily basis.
A $25-$50 study is your best bet. It’s likely a one time investment of one to two hours of your life. It will buy you a night of drinking or a nice meal. It also will not include drugs, medical procedures, or severe emotional trauma.
Expand beyond health research
Computer scientists need participants too. Usability tests may not net you a ton of money, but you can get anything from a free lunch to $50 for sitting at a computer and telling people you can’t find anything on their website for an hour.
Shut up, Sara. I’m going big.
AKA
Seriously, I’m bipolar and untreated, my life can’t get any worse
Okay. This is where things get tricky depending on how ethical your researcher is. Most are moderately ethical, but that isn’t enough.
1. You get to ask questions before you enroll.
And you should. As a participant, you get to know:
- What is the purpose of this study?
- What happens with the results?
- Who does this help?
- What am I putting myself at risk of?
- Scary medical procedures?
- Scary psychological testing?
- New and relatively untested drug side effects?
- Other than money, what am I going to get out of this?
- If a drug helps me, what happens when the study is over?
- If I’m on the placebo, but you find out the drug works, how will I know?
- Will you let me know what the results are regardless?
- Are any alternative procedures, help, or support available for me?
- Is there someone on call 24/7 in case anything goes wrong?
- Will you be in contact with my regular doctor?
- What happens if something serious happens and I have to have emergency treatment or ongoing treatment to recover: who pays for that?
2. You get to say no
You do not have to enroll just because you showed up to sign the paperwork to enroll. If what they’re asking you to do freaks you out, you can leave.
Additionally, you can leave the study at any time. If the researcher badgers you or pressures you to stay, stand firm and say that you made the decision that is best for you and then hightail it out of there.
I am a heroin-using pregnant woman and would like to participate in the mother study pictured for big money
Sorry. There is often no cash given for research targeted to vulnerable populations. It continues to suck to be desperate, addicted, homeless, institutionalized, or in severe poverty. If that’s your situation, you can still ask all of those questions above, but it’s not as easy to walk away due to your circumstances.
Finally
If you decide to become a guinea pig, tell us how it goes and what you do with the money!