Details of our upcoming webinar series Public Engagement in Research and Policy. 9.30am, 22nd November Speakers: Dr Julze Alejandre, Madeleine Baxter and Dr Niamh Hart (University of Edinburgh).Panel Members: Professor Oliver Escobar (University of Edinburgh), Dr Carrie Heitmeyer (Government Office for Science) and Professor Ann Phoenix (University College London).This webinar will explore the critical role of Public Engagement and Stakeholder Involvement (PESI) in behavioural research. We will share results of a scoping review exploring how PESI approaches are applied in behavioural research on health, environmental sustainability, community resilience, and economic development (BR-UK research themes). The discussion will focus on approaches that help ensure that behavioural research is conducted in a way that is robust, accessible, meaningful, embedded, and relevant to diverse groups. We will also signpost forthcoming BR-UK training and support opportunities to help build capacity on PESI.Sign up to the "BR-UK: Policy engagement in research and policy" webinar- 9:30am BST 22nd November Artificial Intelligence in Behavioural Research. 1:30pm, 25th January 2025 Speakers: Dr Janna Hastings (Universities of St. Gallen and Zurich), Professor Susan Michie and Professor Robert West (University College London). This webinar will review and discuss ethical challenges in applying AI, including generative AI, to behavioural research and how these can best be addressed. AI is increasingly being used in behavioural research, e.g., supporting research processes such as topic selection, evidence analysis and synthesis, experiment design, participant recruitment, reviewing, data capture and standardisation, data analytics, building models and theories, writing papers and presentations, and even simulating human participants in studies. It is already increasing productivity and we can expect rapid advancement going forward. But there are many limitations to AI itself and the way it is used that present ethical challenges.Responsible use of AI must involve being vigilant in detecting and anticipating ethical challenges and putting systems in place to address them. The ethical challenges presented by use of AI include: increasing inequality through monopolisation of access to advanced research tools, opportunities for unethical manipulation of people, exacerbating biases in topic selection and creation of models, promoting false consensus, narrowing of conceptual horizons, and loss or devaluing of crucial research skills. This webinar will examine these and other ethical challenges and discuss potential ways of mitigating the problems while maximising the potential benefits of AI in behavioural research. It will provide an opportunity to consider what role BRUK can play in addressing the challenges.Sign up to the "BR-UK: AI in behavioural research" webinar- 1:30pm BST 25th January 2025. This article was published on 2024-09-24
