Chapter 3 ISS

Chapter 3: Ethics in Social Research

1. Voluntary Participation – Participants must agree to take part in research willingly.

2. Protection from Harm – Researchers must ensure that participants are not physically or emotionally harmed.

3. Informed Consent – Participants must be fully informed about the research and agree before participating.

4. Anonymity vs. Confidentiality

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

- Confidentiality – The researcher knows but keeps participant identities private.

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

6. Ethical Issues in Analysis and Reporting – Researchers must report findings honestly and avoid misrepresenting data.

7. Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) – Committees that review research proposals to ensure they meet ethical standards.

8. AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practice – Ethical guidelines for survey researchers.

9. Key Ethical Studies

- Humphreys’ Tearoom Study – Studied male sexual behavior in public restrooms without consent, raising ethical concerns.

- Milgram’s Obedience Study – Tested obedience to authority by having participants administer (fake) shocks to others, raising concerns about psychological harm.

10. Ethical Issues vs. Political Issues

- Ethical Issues – Focus on harm, consent, and honesty.

- Political Issues – Focus on broader societal debates and controversies about research topics.