When Sociologists Deceive Their Subjects
From The Embassy of Good Science
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When Sociologists Deceive Their Subjects
What is this about?
This factual case describes various instances of sociological research in which the research subjects are deceived. The deceit comes in many forms, from not telling the participants that they are taking part in research to the researcher disguising him or herself to collect data. Some researchers argue that the deceit is justified by the fact that it leads to better research, whilst others argue that it leads to harm for the participant’s interest and obscuring of the data.
Why is this important?
Given the fact that sociologists want to study the normal behaviour of individuals and groups of individuals, one may understand that they do not want their subjects to know that they are being studied. However, research subjects have the right to know that they are studied, how they are studied and why they are studied to avoid exploitation. Therefore, research subjects must give informed consent before enrolling in a study. As noted in this case, the researcher may seek a waiver of such informed consent from research ethics committees in exceptional cases.
