Abstract
Many researchers consider behavioral and social science (BSS) studies as "soft" science with negligible ethical risk. However, specific ethical issues arise in BSS research that require special consideration on the part of researchers and ethics review committees. This chapter focuses on these issues within the context of three studies that demonstrate concerns that may arise in conducting BSS research. Topics include deciding what BSS studies should be defined as "research" (or not), risks inherent in specific types of BSS research, protection of privacy and confidentiality, and special considerations in informed consent for BSS studies. Special topics addressed in this chapter include the ethical issues associated with studies utilizing social media and community-based participatory research, as well as the importance of rigor and reproducibility in BSS research in the context of ethical review. Finally, the chapter highlights the necessity of empirical study of ethical issues in BSS research to assess decision-making in an ever-evolving social landscape.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | The Oxford Handbook of Research Ethics |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 501-524 |
Number of pages | 24 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780190947767 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780190947750 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 8 2020 |
Keywords
- Behavioral research ethics
- Ethics review
- Risk
- Social media research
- Social science ethics
- Social science research