Informed consent, a cornerstone of research ethics, ensures participant protection and informed participation, particularly in online settings. Despite its significance, engagement with online consent forms remains low, underscoring the need for improved presentation strategies. This study investigates the impact of interactive elements and diverse presentation formats on the comprehension and engagement of online informed consent documents among a broad demographic beyond the commonly studied student populations. Employing a between-subjects experimental design, we explored six versions of online consent forms varying in (...) interactivity, readability, and visual formatting to identify optimal strategies for enhancing participant comprehension and engagement. Our findings reveal that interactive formats significantly improve comprehension and perceived readability, highlighting the pivotal role of design in facilitating informed consent. The study also examines the influence of individual differences, such as self-efficacy and trust in science, on the effectiveness of consent forms, providing insights into the nuanced dynamics between participant characteristics and consent form engagement. These results advocate for integrating interactive elements and thoughtful design in consent forms to foster a more informed and engaged participant base. Implications for research ethics, best practices in consent form development, and future research directions are also discussed, emphasizing the need for ongoing innovation in the consent process to adapt to the evolving landscape of online research. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on research ethics by offering evidence-based recommendations for enhancing the informed consent process, ultimately promoting participant-centered research practices. (shrink)

Previous research shows that students often do not read informed consent forms to understand their rights. Four hundred fifty-eight students participated in an advertised temperament study that actually measured whether they noticed a manipulation within the consent form. Answering five questions about the form raised the percentage of students noticing the manipulation in multiple settings; however, overall rates were low. Fewer than 10% of ethnic minority students noticed the manipulation. If the goal of consent forms in higher education remains an (...) informed decision, these results indicate the need for increased interaction within the consent process. (shrink)

This study examined possible ways to ensure that participants provide fully informed consent for online surveys. Participants were randomly assigned to read either a traditional informed consent or one of three modified versions: enhanced, consent for each key element, or a combination of these two. Those who read the combination version scored higher on a comprehension quiz, guessed at fewer questions, and were more likely to read all of the informed consent than those who received the traditional version. These findings (...) suggest that comprehension can be improved by adopting alternatives to the traditional informed consent. (shrink)

Although many people choose to sign consent forms and participate in research, how many thoroughly read a consent form before signing it? Across 3 experiments using 348 undergraduate student participants, we examined whether personality characteristics as well as consent form content, format, and delivery method were related to thorough reading. Students repeatedly failed to read the consent forms, although small effects were found favoring electronic delivery methods and traditional format forms. Potential explanations are discussed and include participant apathy, participants trying (...) to save time by not reading the consent form, and participant assumptions about consent forms. (shrink)

The informed consent process presents challenges for psychological trauma research (e.g. Institutional Review Board [IRB] apprehension). While previous research documents researcher and IRB-member perspectives on these challenges, participant views remain absent. Thus, using a mixed-methods approach, we investigated participant views on consent guidelines in two convenience samples: crowdsourced (N = 268) and undergraduate (N = 265) participants. We also examined whether trauma-exposure influenced participant views. Overall, participants were satisfied with current guidelines, providing minor feedback and ethical reminders for researchers. Moreover, (...) participant views for consent were similar irrespective of trauma-exposure. Our study has implications for IRBs and psychological researchers. (shrink)