Informed consent and power imbalances

As a researcher, you should get informed consent from all participants before research begins, and you should be aware of power imbalances and how these should be addressed.

Informed consent

Before you start your research, you must get informed consent from all participants, including those who are internal to your organisation.

Informed consent means:

• ensuring participants have received and read information about what the research is and why it’s happening
• participants understand the information you have communicated to them
• participants are able to make an informed decision about their involvement with the research

The information that you must provide should include:

• who is doing the research and who else is involved (for example, observers or other people who will have access to the research data or findings)
• why the research is being conducted
• what the research involves
• what will be done with the research
• how personal data will be processed and stored and how long it will be kept for

When a participant consents to taking part in the research, it means they agree to participate based on the information you have provided. They should be aware that they can withdraw their consent at any time, including after the research is finished.

Informed consent means the participant fully understands what the research entails​. Every research project will have unique parameters for ensuring all participants can give informed consent.

How we present information about our research should change depending on who we are speaking to and in what context. If participants do not fully understand what they’re signing up to, their consent is not informed.

You may have to try alternative ways of getting informed consent from participants for situations in which standard written templates are not appropriate. Alternative methods of communicating research to participants include using photographs, storyboards, and participation information clips.

Power imbalances

A power imbalance occurs when one person or group has, or is perceived to have, more power than others.

Power in this context can be influenced by things like gender, race, nationality, age, intelligence, experience, role, social status, and more. For example, a number of factors mean that a teacher has power over a child in a classroom – it is an assymmetrical, or unequal, relationship.

Power imbalances can exist between researchers and the participants. The perception of power or the feeling of being influenced can compromise ​the validity of the informed consent we receive​, as well as the participants perceived ability to refuse participation or exercise their right to withdraw from the research.

As UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) says:

Researchers need to be mindful of how the actual or perceived asymmetry in power may influence the principle of voluntary participation, freely-given informed consent and participant expectations on the benefits and consequences of participation in research

In other words, someone may feel compelled to give their consent or participate in the research even if they do not really want to, due to their perceived lack of power. In the context of user research in government, examples of unequal relationships with potential power imbalances could be:

• an able-bodied researcher from the Department for Work and Pensions conducting interviews with disabled people from England or Wales who receive a Personal Independent Payment (PIP)
• a researcher at the Department for Education conducting research with children
• a white British male researcher from the Home Office facilitating a focus group of black women refugees

If you believe there might be a power imbalance, there are things you can do to try to counteract this. For example, you could:

• explicitly introduce yourself as a researcher who is there to learn from them and their experiences
• make it clear that the session is confidential
• carefully choose the setting for the research, ensuring it is in a familiar or comfortable location for your participants
• build rapport with your participants before the session
• learn about the cultures and customs of your participants before the research sessions so that you can be respectful

Task

Were you aware of different types of power imbalances that can occur? Take a moment to reflect on this and, if you feel comfortable, share your thoughts or experiences with other learners in the comments.