The confidentiality and privacy of the participants must be taken into consideration. The personal information of the subjects must be kept confidential. Also, Researchers should keep the identity of partakers secret in order to help prevent possible negative effects on them. Negative effects like becoming a social outcast if you are found to be involved in taboo crimes such as gang activities or paedophilia.
Furthermore, the researcher must take into account the effects that the research may have on his/her participants for the study. These effects can relate to the ones found in keeping the confidentiality of the participant a secret. The effect of having police intervention can influence the sociologist and participant involvement. For example, when a sociologist wishes to interview a criminal (e.g. a murderer), the police have the option to either let the researcher continue with the interview or stop him/her from continuing all together.
In addition to these issues there is also the chance of issues being raised when research involves vulnerable groups. Care should be particularly taken where participants are vulnerable due to their age, disability or physical or mental health. For instance, care should be taken when studying children in schools. The researcher should favour the child protection act (e.g. 1889 prevention of cruelty to children act). They should gain consent from the child and the child’s parent. Likewise, the information provided should be written in a language that a child can understand.
Finally, Sociologists must also avoid raising the issue of covert researching and the use of deception. Covert research is having the research purpose hidden away from the people being studied. But, this in turn can create severe ethical problems, such as lying to people to gain their trust or acquire personal information. It is deemed impossible for the researcher to have the participants informed consent whilst keeping the true purpose a secret. Although, some sociologists believe that the use of covert research methods can be acceptable in certain situations. This can include having access to secretive, deviant or powerful groups. For example, a study can be created through observations in public settings. This can also include online environments such as internet chat rooms.
In conclusion, ethical issues such as informed consent and the effects on research participants influence a sociologist’s method of choice. Whether its using a questionnaire to ask school children about healthy eating or using covert participation to infiltrate a dissident group. The researcher will then have to consider the choice of the topic they wish to research, such as in the 1960s and 70s the rise of feminism led to a focus on gender inequality.
by
maulkner (student)
