Ethics in Social Research

Chapter 11

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What are research ethics?

Click image of Stanley Milgram below and ponder the ethical issues of his study

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Milgram “obedience” experiment 1963

Ethics – Core PrinciplesRespect for personsConcern for welfareJustice

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Respect for PersonsPeople are not objects“participants” as opposed

to “respondents”?Ends do not justify

questionable meansRespect individual dignity

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Respect for PersonsInformed consentMust have the capacity

to give consentInformation sheet –

describing study

Under what circumstances might informed consent be impractical?

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Concern for WelfareAll aspects of the well-being of a participant,

(and researcher)

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Concern for WelfarePrivacy

Remain anonymousConfidentiality

Information kept secure and not shared with others

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Anonymity Example

For sensitive questions in a face-to-face structured survey questionnaireFlip coin – “heads” = truthful; “tails”

= always “yes”At least 50% of answers are

(theoretically) “yes” – used to calculate ‘actual’ yes:no ratio

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Anonymity Random Response ExampleTake out a coinFlip the coinDon’t show anyone (this

part is important)Memorize the result

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Don’t have a coin?random.org coin flip

Anonymity Random Response Example

Answer the following according to your coin flip at polleverywhere: Have you ever cheated on an exam at University?Phone # is: 37607

Yes = 399161 No = 399162

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= truthful answer = answer “yes” even if the truth is “no”

heads tails

Do your coin flip first to know if you should be truthful – see above

Anonymity Example Cont’d – calculating “yes”sSince at least ½ of “yes” forced by coin flip (see poll responses here):% of “yes” in excess of 50% * 2e.g., if 80% yes, then 80%-50% = 30%

* 2 = 60%So when 80% respond “yes”, the true

value of yes’s is very close to 60% and therefore 40% no.

Why only “very close”? assumes tails and heads subsamples are

sufficiently large and unbiased

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Don’t have a coin?random.org coin flip

Right to PrivacyHumphreys Tearoom Trade 1970

“homosexual encounters in public places”

Watch queenFollow-up interviews with deception

using licence plates

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Right to PrivacyWhat is not fair game for research on the

internet?

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Privacy and ConfidentialityRight to withdraw at any time

Stated in letter of information/informed consent

Confidentiality Question:If somebody withdraws, what should happen to

the data gathered about them to the point they withdrew?

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JusticeBurdens and benefits spread evenly across

society

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JusticeWhat might be some “benefits” of social

research?

If direct benefits – avoid exclusion!

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JusticeCosts/harms to well-being

Loss of self-esteem, shameStressLoss of social position…

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Ethics BoardsGroup of researchers

(professors)Required before funds

released for study

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Justice and Ethics BoardsClick on the images below to learn

about follow-ups to Milgram…

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Prison guard “Cool Hand Luke” 1967

Stanford Prison Experiment 1971 – “Guard”Stanford Prison Experiment 1971 – Zimbardo No ethics boards

Warning: this video contains images of Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse that appeared in the news media – they contain nudity and are potentially disturbing – 00:31-01:08

“The Experiment 2002 – Reicher and HaslamEthics board approved

Ethical version of “Milgram” Obedience Study?The “150 volt solution” – first protest

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Burger “obedience” experiment 2009

$#@% that

hurts!

Workout your “core”Tri-Council Core2 tutorial – click image (2 hrs)

All who will be doing field research for their term project must show their certificate of completion

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