E09 - Robots in Disguise: When Your Participants are More Than Meets the Eye

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Bots designed to imitate human research participants can respond to online research prompts, muddy research integrity, and jeopardize human subjects recruitment. Bot-generated responses are challenging to detect if researchers do not implement design safeguards (e.g., attention checks) and over-protective research designs can impact equitable recruitment, limiting access to the study for qualified human subjects. Bot designers often target studies with participant compensation and cost research teams time and money. IRB reviewers and researchers aiming to anticipate and address bot incidents need a broad organizational plan and response. Based on lessons learned from case studies, speakers will offer strategies and resources for anticipating and responding to bots by identifying IRB and researcher (mis)steps, strategic and thoughtful safeguard moves, and interdepartmental routines for research compliance and bot prevention.