Research Ethics

Question 1

What characterises research ethics?

Answer 1

It’s an ongoing process
- before starting
- during data collection
- during analysis and writing

-> constant reflect

Question 2

At which level (instances) should you reflect on research ethics?

Answer 2

1. With research interlocutors
2. Among researchers
3. Among scientific community

Question 3

What are the different ethical stances currently in scientific research?

Answer 3

1. Universalism
2. Situational Ethics / principled relativism
3. Consequentialism

Question 4

Why was Humphrey’s Tearoom experiment (1970) controversial?

Answer 4

• People didn’t know they were being studied: no informed consent
• Humphrey was doing harm by publishing the findings

Question 5

What are the principles of the Code of Ethics from the American Anthropological Association (AAA)?

Answer 5

1. Do no harm
2. Be open and honest
3. Obtain informed consent and necessary permissions
4. Weigh competing ethical obligations, due collaborators and affected parties
5. Make your results available
6. Protect and preserve your data
7. Maintain ethical and professional relationships

Question 6

What is the implication behind the existence of multiple codes of ethics by diverse ethics committees (e.g., AAA, EASA, ABV, ASA)?

Answer 6

Lots of interpretation

-> need of constant reflection

Question 7

When can there be harm to participants?

Answer 7

• During data collection
• During writing

Question 8

In what way may there be harm to the discipline of Anthropology?

Answer 8

• Credibility of scientific research
• Responsibility to future researchers
• Research fatigue

Question 9

What is the responsibility of anthropological researchers towards future researchers?

Answer 9

Maintaining relationships with communities intact for future research

Question 10

How do you confirm research participants give informed consent?

Answer 10

Participants
- are informed
- give consent in written or verbal (recorded) form
- can withdraw

Question 11

What kind of difficulties can you encounter in obtaining informed consent?

Answer 11

• from groups, public spaces
• limitations of understanding
• for digital ethnography
• multiple interlocutors involved (who you may haven’t met and who are not aware of your research)

Question 12

How do you confirm transparency in your research?

Answer 12

• from participant’s interpretations
• communicate your role as researcher
• “Be open and honest regarding your work” (AAA Code of Ethics)

Question 13

How can you indirectly remind people you’re a researcher throughout your field work?

Answer 13

Take field notes in front of them

Question 14

What is the universalist view on ethics in social research?

Answer 14

Ethical rules should never be broken

• it’s morally wrong to violate ethical principles
• it damages social research

Question 15

Who is associated with universalism in the ethics of social research?

Answer 15

• Erikson
• Dingwall
• Bulmer

Question 16

What are the arguments of situation ethics (or principled relativism)?

Answer 16

• The end justifies the means: e.g., covert observatio may be essential to relevant research
• No choice: “sometimes we may not have a choice but to mislead if we want to investigate” our subject matter

-> flexibility in ethical decision-making
rather than ‘anything goes’

Question 17

Who is associated to situation ethics (principled relativism)?

Answer 17

• Good (1996)
• Fletcher (1966): coined ‘situation ethics’ / ‘principled relativism’

Question 18

What does deontological ethics argue?

Answer 18

Certain acts are right or wrong in and of themselves.

Question 19

What does consequentialist ethics argue?

Answer 19

We should be guided by whether the consequences of an act are right or wrong.

Question 20

Which type of ethics tend to prevail on ethical issues in social research?

Answer 20

Deontological ethical arguments (vs consequentialist)