L9.1 - Methods in Neuroethics: the survey

What consists of a good VS bad survey

What are the different methods in neuroethics? (quantitative VS qualitative approaches)

Quantitative = numerical, objective

methods that involve measuring, counting and using statistical models to test hypotheses

• neuroimaging studies (fMRI, PET, MRI)

• electrophysiology (EEG)

• stimulation techniques (TMS)

Qualitative = descriptive, interpretive

methods that involve interpreting contextual behaviours and subjective expriences

• interviews & focus groups

• survey => contrasting vignette

• case study

Discuss active VS passive data capture + some examples

Active Data Capture = directly asking people, involving participants

• questionnaire

• interviews

• focus groups

• events

Passive Data Capture = collecting data without people being aware

• internal comms

• databases

• observations

• social media

What are these? + Fill in the blanks of their pros and cons

ACTIVE data capture

What are these? + Fill in the blanks of their pros and cons

PASSIVE data capture

Explain the evolution of survey (old, new, old?)

1930s -1960s : going door to door, sampling at different geographic areas

1960s -1990s : telephoning to reach people => ↑reach BUT ↓response rate (hang up)

1990s - Now : lots of PASSIVE data capture (EX: social media data) => ↓costs BUT ↑fraud

What are surveys trying to capture?

• public attitudes

• patient experience / satisfaction

• factors in decision making

Describe a good survey VS common problems with surveys

Good

• questions related to the purpose of the study / research question

• not measuring other concepts (unrelated)

• account for language & cultural differences => concepts that have same meaning to all respondents

Problems

• low readability SO prioritize simple vocabulary / comprehensible by large population

• double-barreled questions (asking 2 things but only allow 1 answer, careful for the word AND in the question)

• answers not matching the questions

• incomplete answer scales & uneven increments SO account for no and neutral options