Concepts Guiding Ethical Research

- protecting participants from physical and psychological harm - providing freedom of choice about participating in the research - maintaining awareness of the power differentials between researchers and participants - honestly describing the nature and use of the research to participants

Threats to Participants

- psychological stress during and after the course of the experiment - emotional discomfort or harm - discovering something unpleasant about oneself - perform behaviors that they may later feel embarrassed or ashamed about

Interference with Freedom of Choice

- observational studies where the behavior of individuals is observed without their knowledge - in institutional settings, such as schools, psychiatric hospitals, corporations, and prisons

Institutions and Freedom of Choice

Individuals are required by the institutions to take certain tests or when employees are assigned to or asked by their supervisors to participate in research

Function of Informed Consent

- providing freedom of choice and reducing psychological stress from participation - potential participant is presented with a form to record demographic info - potential participant is given an informed consent form explaining the procedure of the research, who is conducting it, how the results of the research will be used

Abuses of Power

- range from showing up late to the research session without an apology - promising money for participation that is not actually available - hypnotizing the participant and attempting to learn intimate details about their life without the participant's knowledge