Do No Harm

Ethics plays an intricate part of any type of psychological research. According to Stangor (2013), “ The ethical concerns of scientists involve maintaining honestly in conducting and reporting scientific research, giving appropriate credit for ideas and effort, and consider how knowledge gained through research should be used” (p.43). It is also the scientist or researchers moral responsibility to protect the participants from harm. For the two research studies I have chosen; I will explain whether or not the research was ethical and in what way did the study violate the principals of ethical behavior. Also, I will explain if an alternate research method could have been used. If there is no alternate method, I will explain why that is the case.
In research study one, the two students that were participating in the experiment was not at risk of physical or psychological harm. There was no threat of physical harm or psychological stress. Although, the researcher did inform them about the option of having the tape of them being erased; I feel this study did show deception, because their conversation and actions was taped secretly. Stangor (2013) defines deception as the practice of not completely and fully informing research participants about the nature of a project before they take part in it (p. 420).
In this study the alternate research method that could have taken place would be an overt observation. Overt observation is when the researcher lets the participants know that they are being observed (McLeod, 2007). So this method decreases the risk of deception.
In research study four, the researcher clearly did not protect his participants from physical or psychological harm. The reason I say both physical and psychological is because if each of those participants go out and drive while intoxicated in which some of them were going to do, and they have and accident it could physically and psychologically harm them for life. Another problem with this study is...