Whether or not a given study has the possibility of causing harm to participants:

  • Summary

  • Contents

  • Subject index

All social researchers need to think about ethical issues. Their salience has recently been increased by the pressures of ethical regulation, particularly in the case of qualitative research. But what are ethical issues? And how should they be approached? These are not matters about which there is agreement. Ethics in Qualitative Research explores conflicting philosophical assumptions, the diverse social contexts in which ethical problems arise, and the complexities of handling them in practice.

The authors argue that the starting point for any discussion of research ethics must be the values intrinsic to research, above all the commitment to knowledge-production. However, the pursuit of inquiry is rightly constrained by external values, and the book focuses on three of these: minimising harm, respecting autonomy, and protecting privacy. These external values are shown to be far from unequivocal in character, often in conflict with one another (or with the commitments of research), and always subject to situational interpretation and practical judgment. Nevertheless, it is contended that in the present challenging times it is essential that qualitative researchers uphold research values.

Martyn Hammersley is Professor of Educational and Social Research at The Open University.

Anna Traianou is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Studies, Goldsmiths, University of London.

The Risk of Harm

The Risk of Harm

Perhaps the most common, and usually the most important, principle involved in discussions of research ethics concerns harmful consequences that could result from the actions of researchers. Ethics codes and regulatory frameworks often suggest that harm must be avoided; and it is certainly true that researchers ...

locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Sign in

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Whether or not a given study has the possibility of causing harm to participants:

    Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life

  • Read modern, diverse business cases

  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles

sign up today!

In the previous post in this blog series, I began to discuss the three principles that emerged within the Belmont Report that serve as the foundations of ethical research practices. In Part 2, I discussed respect for persons, and in this blog, I will discuss beneficence.

So, what does the term “beneficence” mean? In its simplest form, it means to maintain the welfare of human research participants by doing no harm to them. This includes physical harm that may be associated with experimental research studies, as well as emotional and psychological harm. Qualitative researchers are most often concerned with the emotional and psychological harm that participants may experience during data collection, especially if the research focuses on a sensitive issue. When appropriate, qualitative researchers will provide participants with a list of resources, such as crisis hotlines or online support group information. In addition to providing these resources, qualitative researchers must disclose on the informed consent form the potential risks associated with participating in the research study.

Whether or not a given study has the possibility of causing harm to participants:

Discover How We Assist to Edit Your Dissertation Chapters

Aligning theoretical framework, gathering articles, synthesizing gaps, articulating a clear methodology and data plan, and writing about the theoretical and practical implications of your research are part of our comprehensive dissertation editing services.

  • Bring dissertation editing expertise to chapters 1-5 in timely manner.
  • Track all changes, then work with you to bring about scholarly writing.
  • Ongoing support to address committee feedback, reducing revisions.

Because “do no harm” may be impossible to guarantee in some research studies, beneficence requires qualitative researchers to minimize the risk of harm to participants while maximizing the benefits of participating in the research study. While most qualitative research studies will include stressors that participants experience in their every-day life (fatigue is the most common), studies covering sensitive topics must include this information as a potential risk. For example, the researcher may disclose that the research study includes the risk of experiencing distress from sharing their experience or that some interview questions may potentially trigger distress by reminding participants of negative experiences. In these cases, qualitative researchers often note that they will stop the interview if a participant appears distressed and that they have measures in place to provide emotional or psychological support, (e.g., a list of resources or an on-site counselor). These procedures ensure that researchers do no harm to the wellbeing of participants.

Finally, qualitative researchers must let participants decide whether the benefits of participating in a research study outweigh the risks associated with participating in this research study (respect for persons). Even if there are no direct benefits to participants, qualitative researchers should identify the benefits their participation may have on society. This is especially true if a qualitative researcher seeks to inform policy with their findings, which may help the population under investigation. Examples of benefits to society may include furthering understanding of a topic or identifying important factors that influence behavior.

Which type of study is most likely to enable generalization of the findings?

Correlational studies allow researchers to make broad generalizations. Case studies allow researchers to consider various causes.

Is important to obtain before starting a research study to ensure people know they are involved in the study?

Informed consent is crucial in research as it ensures individuals have an informed choice about whether to participate in a research study. In the United States, the requirements for obtaining informed consent from research participants are stipulated by several regulations and policies.

What type of variable is critical thinking?

Furthermore, critical thinking seems to be a moderator variable, mediating an indirect effect of interest on school performance.

Why is it important to use random assignment when determining which research participants?

Random assignment enhances the internal validity of the study, because it ensures that there are no systematic differences between the participants in each group. This helps you conclude that the outcomes can be attributed to the independent variable.