Chapter 3 ISS

Voluntary Participation

Participants must agree to take part in research willingly.

Protection from Harm

Researchers must ensure that participants are not physically or emotionally harmed.

Informed Consent

Participants must be fully informed about the research and agree before participating.

Anonymity

No one (not even the researcher) knows who participated.

Confidentiality

The researcher knows but keeps participant identities private.

Deception in Research

Sometimes used in research, but must be justified and followed by debriefing.

Ethical Issues in Analysis and Reporting

Researchers must report findings honestly and avoid misrepresenting data.

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

Committees that review research proposals to ensure they meet ethical standards.

AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practice

Ethical guidelines for survey researchers.

Milgram’s Obedience Study

Tested obedience to authority by having participants administer (fake) shocks to others, raising concerns about psychological harm.

Humphreys’ Tearoom Study

Studied male sexual behavior in public restrooms without consent, raising ethical concerns.

Ethical Issues

Focus on harm, consent, and honesty.

Political Issues

Focus on broader societal debates and controversies about research topics.