The Informed Consent Dilemma: An Empirical Approach

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Abstract
When considering the overall costs and benefits involved in an experiment involving deception, psychologists should estimate empirically whether Ss would consent to participate if they could be informed. A risk-benefit model suggests that Ss elect to participate on the basis of their perception of the stress involved and the benefit derived. Male and female introductory psychology students at Colorado State University (N = 150) indicated which of a list of physically and psychologically stressful experimental procedures they would be willing to undergo when they expected one of two levels of personal or societal benefits or when no benefit statement was made. Counter to the model, benefits had no effect on the amount of stress Ss would accept. There were no sex differences for physically stressful procedures. Males showed more tolerance of some psychologically stressful procedures. Correlations between group paper and pencil ratings of stress in another study and the percentage accepting a procedure in this simulated experiment were high.