Paper III Qualitative research methodology. Objective 1.4 Discuss ethical considerations in...

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Paper III Paper III Qualitative research Qualitative research methodology methodology

Transcript of Paper III Qualitative research methodology. Objective 1.4 Discuss ethical considerations in...

Paper IIIPaper III

Qualitative research

Qualitative research

methodology

methodology

Objective 1.4

Objective 1.4

Discuss Discuss ethical

ethical

considerations

considerations in in

qualitative research

qualitative research

• Ethics are Ethics are codes or rules

codes or rules which which

govern that practices of a

govern that practices of a

research study.

research study.• It dictates how information, and

It dictates how information, and

participant relationships should

participant relationships should

be managed. Code of ethics and

be managed. Code of ethics and

the laws are

the laws are mutually exclusive

mutually exclusive. .

Ethical Considerations

Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations specifically Ethical considerations specifically at the SCLOA usually involve at the SCLOA usually involve human participants human participants in in real real world settings world settings (although (although controlled laboratory settings controlled laboratory settings may be used for social may be used for social experiments). experiments).

The research usually involves The research usually involves both both quantitative quantitative (experiments, (experiments, surveys, etc.) and surveys, etc.) and qualitative qualitative (case studies, interviews, (case studies, interviews, overt/covert observations, etc.) overt/covert observations, etc.) research methods.research methods.

Thus, ethical considerations are Thus, ethical considerations are increasingly important at this increasingly important at this level of analysis. level of analysis.

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• Limit your essay in scope! Limit your essay in scope! You will not be able to discuss You will not be able to discuss every every ethical consideration ethical consideration at this level of analysis. You at this level of analysis. You should carefully select ethical should carefully select ethical considerations (i.e. considerations (i.e. experimental ethics, experimental ethics, observational study ethics) observational study ethics) along with research examples along with research examples to develop your response. to develop your response.

• Remember: Remember: general-general-specific-general.specific-general.

• There are, overall, the same There are, overall, the same ethical issues involved in ethical issues involved in qualitative research as in qualitative research as in qualitative research. qualitative research.

• These include:These include: Informed ConsentInformed Consent Protection from psychological and Protection from psychological and

physical harmphysical harm Respect for the participantsRespect for the participants’’ integrity integrity

and privacyand privacy The right to withdrawThe right to withdraw

General Ethical ConcernsGeneral Ethical Concerns

However, there are special However, there are special ethical considerations to be ethical considerations to be made due to the very nature of made due to the very nature of qualitative research.qualitative research.

The characteristics of qualitative The characteristics of qualitative or field research usually include or field research usually include close personal contact with the close personal contact with the participant.participant.

Special care must be made in Special care must be made in order to ensure the protection of order to ensure the protection of the participants and those in the the participants and those in the field which researchers study.field which researchers study.

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Ethical issues such as Ethical issues such as anonymity anonymity may arise in may arise in case studiescase studies or in or in research designs with research designs with a small a small number of participantsnumber of participants, because , because of the risk that they may be of the risk that they may be identified in research reports.identified in research reports.

Informed consent Informed consent and and protection protection from harm from harm may become issues may become issues when considering the nature of when considering the nature of many environments that many environments that qualitative researchers look to qualitative researchers look to uncover.uncover.

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The general rule of psychological The general rule of psychological research states that informed research states that informed consent should consent should alwaysalways be be obtained. obtained.

The nature of some qualitative The nature of some qualitative studies, however, may warrant studies, however, may warrant exceptions to this rule. exceptions to this rule.

Some review boards will offer a Some review boards will offer a pardon to this rule if the outcome pardon to this rule if the outcome outweighs the potential harm of outweighs the potential harm of uninformed participants (as in the uninformed participants (as in the case with studying addictions or case with studying addictions or violence in a street gang).violence in a street gang).

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The researchers must explicitly The researchers must explicitly make clear to any participant make clear to any participant that participation is that participation is voluntaryvoluntary. .

As with case studies, participants As with case studies, participants must always be afforded the must always be afforded the right to withdraw their right to withdraw their information and any other data.information and any other data.

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The researchers must take The researchers must take preventive action in all research, preventive action in all research, to to avoid harming the participantsavoid harming the participants..

This is particularly true in This is particularly true in sensitive research topics, such as sensitive research topics, such as domestic or drug abuse. domestic or drug abuse.

This is where informed consent This is where informed consent becomes increasingly important. becomes increasingly important. Researchers must always remain Researchers must always remain transparenttransparent about the nature of about the nature of interview questions, the purpose interview questions, the purpose of focus groups, and the of focus groups, and the objectives of observations.objectives of observations.Pr

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The researchers must take The researchers must take preventive action in all research, preventive action in all research, to to avoid harming the participantsavoid harming the participants..

This is particularly true in This is particularly true in sensitive research topics, such as sensitive research topics, such as domestic or drug abuse. domestic or drug abuse.

This is where informed consent This is where informed consent becomes increasingly important. becomes increasingly important. Researchers must always remain Researchers must always remain transparenttransparent about the nature of about the nature of interview questions, the purpose interview questions, the purpose of focus groups, and the of focus groups, and the objectives of observations.objectives of observations.Pr

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BackgroundBackground• The experiment was The experiment was

performed in 1971performed in 1971

• The experiment was The experiment was overseen by Dr. Philip overseen by Dr. Philip ZimbardoZimbardo

• PH. D. in Psychology from YalePH. D. in Psychology from Yale

• It was done in connection It was done in connection with Stanford Universitywith Stanford University

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The Set UpThe Set Up• The experiment lasted 6 The experiment lasted 6

daysdays

• It occurred in a mock It occurred in a mock prison setting created at prison setting created at the universitythe university

• Doors with bars, a “yard Doors with bars, a “yard area” etc.area” etc.

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The PeopleThe People• Sent out news paper adsSent out news paper ads

• The experiment involved The experiment involved 24 male college students 24 male college students in the Stanford areain the Stanford area

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The ObservationThe Observation• The men were split into two The men were split into two

groups: guards and prisonersgroups: guards and prisoners

• The prisoners were taken The prisoners were taken from their house in a “mock from their house in a “mock arrest”arrest”• They were frisked and searched They were frisked and searched

upon entering the mock prisonupon entering the mock prison

• They were given an informed They were given an informed consent form that talked consent form that talked about possible violation of about possible violation of rights and minimal food. It rights and minimal food. It did not mention the potential did not mention the potential of psychological or physical of psychological or physical harm.harm.

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The Observation (con.)The Observation (con.)

• Often times the prisoners Often times the prisoners were put in uncomfortable were put in uncomfortable situations such as being situations such as being awakened at an awakened at an unreasonable hour or unreasonable hour or physical punishmentphysical punishment

• A rebellion developed and A rebellion developed and this caused an even more this caused an even more severe division between severe division between the guards and prisonersthe guards and prisoners

• After the extensive After the extensive abuse abuse and other variable and other variable situationssituations brought in, the brought in, the experiment was endedexperiment was ended

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As previously stated, researchers As previously stated, researchers must take preventive action in all must take preventive action in all research, to research, to avoid harming the avoid harming the participantsparticipants..

This ethical principle was clearly breached in this experiment due to the physical, emotional and mental consequences the prisoners experienced at the hands of the guards Pr

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Participants in a research study Participants in a research study have the right to withdraw from have the right to withdraw from (i.e., discontinue participation in) (i.e., discontinue participation in) research research at anytimeat anytime.  . 

If a subject decides to withdraw If a subject decides to withdraw from all components of a from all components of a research study, the investigator research study, the investigator must discontinue all activities must discontinue all activities involving that subject’s involving that subject’s participation in that study. participation in that study. R

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The participants in the Milgram The participants in the Milgram experiment were 40 men recruited experiment were 40 men recruited using newspaper ads. In exchange using newspaper ads. In exchange for their participation, each person for their participation, each person was paid $4.50.was paid $4.50.

Milgram developed an intimidating Milgram developed an intimidating shock generator, with shock levels shock generator, with shock levels starting at 30 volts and increasing in starting at 30 volts and increasing in 15-volt increments all the way up to 15-volt increments all the way up to 450 volts. 450 volts.

The many switches were labeled The many switches were labeled with terms including "slight shock," with terms including "slight shock," "moderate shock" and "danger: "moderate shock" and "danger: severe shock." The final two severe shock." The final two switches were labeled simply with switches were labeled simply with an ominous "XXX."an ominous "XXX."

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Each participant took the role of a Each participant took the role of a "teacher" who would then deliver "teacher" who would then deliver a shock to the "student" every a shock to the "student" every time an incorrect answer was time an incorrect answer was produced.produced.

While the participant believed that While the participant believed that he was delivering real shocks to he was delivering real shocks to the student, the student was the student, the student was actually a confederate in the actually a confederate in the experiment who was simply experiment who was simply pretending to be shocked.pretending to be shocked.

Would this violate the previous Would this violate the previous consideration? Why or why not?consideration? Why or why not?

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Once the 300-volt level had Once the 300-volt level had been reached, the learner been reached, the learner banged on the wall and banged on the wall and demanded to be released. demanded to be released. Beyond this point, the learner Beyond this point, the learner became completely silent and became completely silent and refused to answer any more refused to answer any more questions. questions.

The experimenter then The experimenter then instructed the participant to instructed the participant to treat this silence as an incorrect treat this silence as an incorrect response and deliver a further response and deliver a further shock.shock.

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Most participants asked the Most participants asked the experimenter whether they should experimenter whether they should continue. The experimenter issued continue. The experimenter issued a series of commands to prod the a series of commands to prod the participant along:participant along:

• "Please continue.""Please continue."

• "The experiment requires that you "The experiment requires that you continue."continue."

• "It is absolutely essential that you "It is absolutely essential that you continue."continue."

• "You have no other choice, you "You have no other choice, you must go on."must go on."

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Milgram’s study specifically Milgram’s study specifically violated participant’s right to violated participant’s right to withdraw along with causing withdraw along with causing psychological harm.psychological harm.

While Milgram’s research raised While Milgram’s research raised serious ethical questions about serious ethical questions about the use of human subjects in the use of human subjects in psychology experiments, his psychology experiments, his results have also been results have also been consistently replicated in further consistently replicated in further experiments.experiments.R

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Should unethical social Should unethical social research studies be accepted research studies be accepted as science in psychology? Why as science in psychology? Why or why not?or why not?

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