Basic Values Sanctity and worth of each human being.Sanctity and worth of each human being. Right to...

Basic ValuesBasic Values

• Sanctity and worth of each human Sanctity and worth of each human being.being.

• Right to privacy.Right to privacy.• Right to self-determination. Right to self-determination. • Fairness and equity in social Fairness and equity in social

relations.relations.• Do not intentionally harm another Do not intentionally harm another

person.person.Copyright © 2000 by Harcourt, Inc

.All rights reserved.

1

Definition of EthicsDefinition of Ethics• EthicsEthics is the study of what is is the study of what is

proper and improper behavior, proper and improper behavior, of moral duty and obligation.of moral duty and obligation.

• Ethics involves responsibilities Ethics involves responsibilities toward:toward:• Participants.Participants.• Sponsors.Sponsors.• Potential beneficiaries.Potential beneficiaries.

Copyright © 2000 by Harcourt, Inc


2

Ethical QuestionsEthical Questions

• Is it ever permissible to harm people Is it ever permissible to harm people during the course of a research project? during the course of a research project?

• May participants ever be deceived?May participants ever be deceived?• Is it appropriate to suppress research Is it appropriate to suppress research

findings that cast a sponsor's program findings that cast a sponsor's program in a negative light?in a negative light?

• Should researchers report to the police Should researchers report to the police about crimes uncovered during about crimes uncovered during research? research?



3

Ethical Issues Involving Ethical Issues Involving Research ParticipantsResearch Participants

• Informed consentInformed consent• DeceptionDeception• The right to privacy (anonymity The right to privacy (anonymity

and confidentiality)and confidentiality)• Harm or distressHarm or distress• Protecting vulnerable groupsProtecting vulnerable groups• Withholding treatment for research Withholding treatment for research

purposespurposesCopyright © 2000 by Harcourt, Inc


4

Informed ConsentInformed Consent

• Informed consentInformed consent refers to refers to telling potential research telling potential research participants about all aspects of participants about all aspects of the research that might reasonably the research that might reasonably influence their decision to influence their decision to participate.participate.

• Use of deception.Use of deception.• Need for debriefing.Need for debriefing.



5

Privacy, Anonymity and Privacy, Anonymity and ConfidentialityConfidentiality

• PrivacyPrivacy refers to ability to control when and refers to ability to control when and under what conditions others will have under what conditions others will have access to your beliefs, values, or behavior.access to your beliefs, values, or behavior.

• AnonymityAnonymity means that means that no oneno one, including , including the researcher, can link data to a the researcher, can link data to a respondent.respondent.

• ConfidentialityConfidentiality means data collected from means data collected from participants will not be made public in a way participants will not be made public in a way that they can be linked to an individual.that they can be linked to an individual.



6

Case Study ExamplesCase Study Examples

• Laud Humphreys, Laud Humphreys, Tea Room Trade Tea Room Trade was was criticized for: criticized for: • Use of deceptionUse of deception• Not obtaining informed consent, and Not obtaining informed consent, and • Violating the privacyViolating the privacy

• Arthur Vidich and Joseph Bensman, Arthur Vidich and Joseph Bensman, small town in mass society small town in mass society detailed detailed description revealed identity of description revealed identity of subjectssubjects



7

Ways to Protect PrivacyWays to Protect Privacy

• Let participants edit the data.Let participants edit the data.• Keep the data anonymous.Keep the data anonymous.• Keep the data confidential.Keep the data confidential.



8

AIDS AND NEEDLE SHARING BEHAVIOR

IN AN URBAN DRUG USING

POPULATION

DATA SET

Court Challenges to Court Challenges to ConfidentialityConfidentiality

• Social researchers Social researchers lack legal lack legal protection of protection of privileged privileged communication.communication.

• Secure Secure confidentiality for confidentiality for sensitive research sensitive research by using by using certificates of certificates of confidentiality.confidentiality.



9

Harm, Distress, and Harm, Distress, and BenefitBenefit

• Sources of harmSources of harm• Exposure to powerful psychological Exposure to powerful psychological

stimulistimuli• Revelation of deviant lifestyleRevelation of deviant lifestyle

• Alleviating distress through Alleviating distress through debriefingdebriefing

• Is it enough to avoid harm or should Is it enough to avoid harm or should participants gain something positive?participants gain something positive?



10

Protecting Vulnerable Protecting Vulnerable GroupsGroups

• Can vulnerable Can vulnerable people such as people such as inmates or welfare inmates or welfare recipients actually recipients actually give consent freely? give consent freely?

• Should we withhold Should we withhold treatment from a treatment from a group to see if group to see if treatment actually treatment actually works?works?



11

Sponsored Research Sponsored Research IssuesIssues

• Should a sponsor control release of Should a sponsor control release of data?data?

• Careful specification of precise Careful specification of precise purposes and procedures used in purposes and procedures used in research.research.

• Should researcher reveal the Should researcher reveal the sponsor's identity to participants?sponsor's identity to participants?



12

Scientific Misconduct and Scientific Misconduct and FraudFraud

• FraudFraud is the deliberate falsification, is the deliberate falsification, misrepresentation, or plagiarizing of misrepresentation, or plagiarizing of data, findings, or the ideas of others.data, findings, or the ideas of others.

• MisconductMisconduct includes: includes:• Fraud.Fraud.• Careless or biased recording and reporting Careless or biased recording and reporting

data.data.• Mishandling data.Mishandling data.• Incomplete reporting of results.Incomplete reporting of results.



13

Mechanisms to Control Mechanisms to Control and Detect Misconductand Detect Misconduct

• Peer reviewPeer review• ReplicationReplication• Supervision of novice researchersSupervision of novice researchers• Submission of more complete data Submission of more complete data

to journalsto journals• Reporting of suspect researchReporting of suspect research



14

Scientific AdvocacyScientific Advocacy

• May researchers advocate for particular May researchers advocate for particular uses of their research results?uses of their research results?• Weber believed social scientists should Weber believed social scientists should

create knowledge, not apply it.create knowledge, not apply it.• Marx believed that social researchers Marx believed that social researchers

should use research to change unfair should use research to change unfair conditions.conditions.

• Gouldner argued scientists should promote Gouldner argued scientists should promote constructive use of scientific knowledge.constructive use of scientific knowledge.



15

Codes of EthicsCodes of Ethics• American Sociological Association • Society for Applied Sociology • American Association for Public Opi

nion Research



16

Basic Values Sanctity and worth of each human being.Sanctity and worth of each human being. Right to...

Documents

Transcript of Basic Values Sanctity and worth of each human being.Sanctity and worth of each human being. Right to...