The Ethics and Politics of Social Research

Term/Concept Definition/Description

Ethical “Conforming to the standards of conduct of a given profession or group.”

Voluntary Participation No one should be forced to participate.

No Harm to the People being researched should never be injured (physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, psychologically).
Participants

Informed Consent A norm in which subjects base their voluntary participation in research projects on a full understanding of the possible risk
involved.
Anonymity Guaranteed in a research project when neither the researchers nor the readers of the findings can identify a given response with
a given respondent.
Confidentiality Guaranteed when the research can identify a given person’s responses but promises not to do so publicly.
Deception Within social research needs to be justified by scientific or administrative concerns.
Debriefing Interviewing subjects to learn about their experience of participation in the project
Analysis and Reporting Ethical obligation to colleagues in the scientific community.
All results must be reported (positive and negative).
All limitations must be admitted.

The Belmont Report Three Principles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6AKIIhoFn4&feature=youtu.be
1. Respect for persons
Participation must be completely voluntary and based on full understanding of what is involved.
2. Beneficience
Subjects must not be harmed by the research.
3. Justice
The burdens and benefits of research should be shared fairly.

Institutional Review A panel of faculty who review all research proposals involving human subjects so that they can guarantee that the subjects’
Boards (IRB) rights and interests will be protected.
The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q7upN1bRFE

https://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/timeline.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYOBYPiVfoI
The Sanford Prison Experiment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPO6BrFTsWM
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Part 1
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x68mu84

Part 2
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5n68v9

 Which ethical issues are in question?

 The Politics of Social Research
• The ethics of social research deals mostly
with the methods employed.

• Political issues tend to center on the

substance and use of research.

• There are no formal codes of acceptable

political conduct, while there are formal
codes of conduct for social research.
 The Politics of Social Research
• Objectivity and Ideology
 Science achieves objectivity through
inter-subjectivity.

 Max Weber (1864-1920): sociology needs

to be unencumbered by personal values if
it is to make a special contribution to
society (1925).
 The Politics of Social Research
• Politics in Perspective
1. Science is not untouched by politics.
2. Science does proceed in the midst of political
controversy and hostility.
3. An awareness of ideological considerations enriches the
study and practice of social research methods.
4. Whereas researchers should not let their own values
interfere with the quality and honesty of the research,
this does not mean that researchers cannot or should
not participate in public debates.
CITI Human Subject Research Certification
• All students will be certified to Conduct Human
Subject Research
• Register HERE and indicate Morgan State
University as the university affiliation:
https://tinyurl.com/CITIregistration
• Follow the Instructions to Become Certified using
the following link:
https://about.citiprogram.org/en/course/human-
subjects-research-2/
• ABOUT CITI https://about.citiprogram.org/en/faqs/
 CITI Course Content

History and Ethical Principles – SBE

Defining Research with Human Subjects – SBE
The Federal Regulations – SBE
Assessing Risk - SBE
Informed Consent - SBE
Privacy and Confidentiality - SBE
Research with Prisoners – SBE
Research with Children – SBE
Research in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools – SBE
International Research – SBE
Internet-Based Research - SBE
Unanticipated Problems and Reporting Requirements in Social and Behavioral Research
Vulnerable Subjects - Research Involving Workers/Employees
Populations in Research Requiring Additional Considerations and/or Protections
Conflicts of Interest in Human Subjects Research