CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

Based upon their reading of Chapter 4, students should be able to:

1. discuss how ethical concerns become an issue in social science research.
2. discuss the costs and benefits of research that should be considered in deciding whether the benefits of a research project outweigh any potential costs.
3. understand and explain the nature of informed consent, including its major elements: competence, voluntarism, full information, and comprehension.
4. explain the dimensions of privacy.
5. understand and be able to distinguish between the guarantees of anonymity and confidentiality for research participants.
6. explain the use of a professional code of ethics, as well as the importance of institutional review boards (IRBs)