This topic contains a solution. Click here to go to the answer

Author Question: Why would there be ethical issues of risk associated with a researcher becoming part of a group ... (Read 57 times)

JMatthes

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 578
Why would there be ethical issues of risk associated with a researcher becoming part of a group without telling group members that they were being studied?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What are the ethical issues associated with studying people who may or may not know they are being observed? Sometimes the issues are ambiguous.
 
  Give an argument that the observation done in the research by Humphreys in The Tearoom Trade was ethical; then give an argument as to why it might be unethical.
  What will be an ideal response?



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
Marked as best answer by a Subject Expert

nanny

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 313
Answer to Question 1

If a researcher joined a group without telling the members that they were being studied, those members might form friendships with the researcher and feel violated when they discovered the truth. In addition, the people in the group might engage in behaviors that they didn't feel comfortable doing in the presence of an outsider, so their privacy may be invaded.

Answer to Question 2

If the behavior being observed is public behavior, there are few ethical concerns about studying those people engaging in those behaviors. If the behavior is not considered public (even if it occurs in a public location), there are ethical issues concerning invasion of privacy.
In the research by Humphreys, you could argue that the research was ethical because the men who engaged in the sexual behavior did so in a public area and with anybody who happened to be there. As such, you could say that they had no real expectation of privacy if they didn't care who participated with them.
On the other hand, you might argue that sexual activity, even if anonymous, is a fundamentally private act. Even though it took place in the rest room of a public park, the men engaged in the behavior were simply using a convenient area, but that the act was still a private act. So the researcher was invading their privacy.





 

Did you know?

Critical care patients are twice as likely to receive the wrong medication. Of these errors, 20% are life-threatening, and 42% require additional life-sustaining treatments.

Did you know?

Fatal fungal infections may be able to resist newer antifungal drugs. Globally, fungal infections are often fatal due to the lack of access to multiple antifungals, which may be required to be utilized in combination. Single antifungals may not be enough to stop a fungal infection from causing the death of a patient.

Did you know?

In most cases, kidneys can recover from almost complete loss of function, such as in acute kidney (renal) failure.

Did you know?

Ether was used widely for surgeries but became less popular because of its flammability and its tendency to cause vomiting. In England, it was quickly replaced by chloroform, but this agent caused many deaths and lost popularity.

Did you know?

Adolescents often feel clumsy during puberty because during this time of development, their hands and feet grow faster than their arms and legs do. The body is therefore out of proportion. One out of five adolescents actually experiences growing pains during this period.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library