Ethical factors that affect research methods

Question 1

Topic choice

Answer 1

by choosing an area, researcher may already be confirming prejudice about an issue e.g. researching negative side of African Caribbean life with studies of school failure=continued association made between race and criminality/race and failure

Question 2

Consent

Answer 2

Researchers should have informed consent of research subjects because of the effects the research may have on them. Shouldn’t be mislead/ manipulated

Question 3

Confidentiality

Answer 3

Research subjects have right to anonymity =unidentified when research is published. Difficult to achieve with small groups

Question 4

Effect on research subject

Answer 4

Research findings can be used by political groups in the media in ways that may damage the research subjects

Question 5

Wider society

Answer 5

Not just people studied are affected by research. Families may have info given away about them. Victims of a crime may want to forget

Question 6

Issues of illegality/immorality

Answer 6

Some researchers may get involved in illegal acts if part of participant observation e.g Tunnell (1998) found a prisoner had stolen someone else’s identity in prison to get a shorter sentence. Tunell felt he owed the prisoner confidentiality and said nothing about it.