Header image designed by Michelle Jordan, UMBC Creative Services, 2009
Sample ethical human research protection
issues
(Fall 2009)
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Sample Ethical Issues
(Internet, information systems, computer science)
Freedom from harm
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Privacy
Voluntary participation
Recruitment
Research with on-line communities
Research with children
Online identity
Obtaining consent
Protection/confidentiality of data
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Sample Ethical Issues
( Undergraduate research)
A Test of Anxiety
adapted from:
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http://ori.dhhs.gov/education/products/montana_round1/humcase2.html
Volunteers to study task performance under conditions of great anxiety
Students in Intro to Psyc are required to participate in 5 hours of experiments during
the term – minimum of 1 credit hour for any experiment
This experiment would last 15 minutes; volunteers will receive a full 1 hour credit for
the 15 minutes of participation – 20 volunteers
Volunteers reminded they could stop participating at any time, but would not receive
credit
Sat on stage facing class – participants and indicators lights visible to class
Apparatus connected to skin via electrodes and BP cuff to measure sexually deviant
response – participants and audience were told a red light would flash to measure a
sexual response
Complete standard test on computer screen that required concentration – during the
10 minutes to complete task, pictures (flowers, animals, attractive individuals of both
genders) flash on participant’s screen and on large screen facing class
But the “sexual response” light was controlled by a computer program that illuminated
randomly when pictures appeared on participant’s and audiences screens
Teaching assistants sat in audience, were told to laugh when the red light flashed and
encouraged audience to laugh as well
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Sample Ethical Issues
(Undergraduate research)
Freedom from harm
Privacy
Voluntary participation
A Test of Anxiety
• Issues with coercion?
• Fully informed in the consent process?
• Protection from harm?
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Sample Ethical Issues
Sample #1
A researcher wants to collect information from
residents of a nursing home for the elderly. The
investigator planned on getting informed consent
(providing full explanation about the research) and,
by the way of thanking them, was planning on
giving the participants a piece of candy.
Freedom from harm
Privacy
Voluntary participation
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Sample Ethical Issues
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Sample #2
In a study involving middle management employees at a large
firm, a researcher collected information on drug abuse and
financial difficulties, along with employment histories and
demographic information such as race, age and sex. No
names were used in the final report, but it was possible to
deduce from table of summary statistics that a particular
employee was a cocaine addict who was about to lose his
home because of financial problems.
Freedom from harm
Privacy
Voluntary participation
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Sample Ethical Issues
Sample #3
An investigator wants to recruit participants for a
research project and informs them that information
collection is anonymous. The investigator then asked
a set of demographic questions that taken together,
would make the identity of the respondent no longer
anonymous.
Freedom from harm
Privacy
participation
Voluntary
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Sample Ethical Issues
Sample #4
A graduate student investigator compared cocaine use in college
freshman and seniors. Because she may want to re-interview
some subjects later, she plans to write their names and phone
numbers on their data sheets. She plans to promise
confidentiality, so that subjects trust her, and to keep the data
in her dorm room in a locked file.
Freedom from harm
Privacy
Voluntary participation
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Sample Ethical Issues
Sample #5
A researcher studied attitudes concerning morality and asked
questions, such as whether subjects had cheated on their
income taxes, used illegal drugs, had extramarital affairs, or
filched supplies from their employers. He also gathered data
on the attitudes these persons had expressed at an adult
fellowship meeting at their church. He entered each data set
into a mainframe computer file, identifying subjects by
number. In a separate computer file on that mainframe
computer, he kept a linkage of names and numbers.
Freedom from harm
Privacy
Voluntary participation
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[email protected]
www.umbc.edu/ressearch/HARPO
410-455-3868 (FAX)
Tim Sparklin: 410-455-2737
Mary Lilly: 410-455-3958
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