Meredith Bautista
EDAB 6100 – 601
September 16, 2025
Patrick Mallory
Module 4: Pre – Class: Ethical Considerations in Research
When working with vulnerable populations, the power differences between the researcher
and the participant can create an imbalance, with the experimenter often perceived as the more
authoritative figure due to their access to information. This imbalance may lead to the participant
being viewed as the inferior party, increasing the risk of potential abuse or exploitation during
the research process. Because researchers are regarded as experts, participants may be placed at a
disadvantage due to their limited understanding of the procedures or goals of the study. This
highlights the critical importance of informed consent, which is essential to ethical research
practices. Informed consent involves clearly communicating any potential risks and benefits,
fully explaining all procedures involved, obtaining written agreement, and emphasizing the
participant’s right to withdraw from the study at any time (Kazdin, 2021, p. 403).
Deception within the experimentation process refers to instances in which researchers
either misrepresent the nature of an experiment or are ambiguous and withhold important
information. Deception involves misleading participants, which can lead to harmful
consequences, as it violates individuals’ basic right to honesty. Although there are ethical
objections to the use of deception, it is important to consider situations in which deception within
intervention research may benefit participants—such as the use of placebos. There are three main
aspects to consider when determining whether deception is necessary: researchers must justify
the use of deception to research review committees, rule out less deceptive or non-deceptive
alternatives for obtaining information, and consider the aversiveness or potential harm of the
deception (Kazdin, 2021, p. 406).
When deception is used during experimentation, researchers are required to conduct a
debriefing at the end of the study, during which they fully disclose the true nature of the research
to participants. The goal of debriefing may be to minimize the potential effects caused by the
deception or to educate participants by explaining the objectives of the study and how their
involvement contributed to research efforts. Debriefing is an essential component of research, as
it provides participants with a sense of closure after the study concludes. Participants may leave
feeling relieved and informed, or they may experience distress or feel misled upon realizing they
were deceived. A key consideration is that institutional review boards (IRBs) must approve the
form and procedures of debriefing prior to implementation. (Kazdin, 2021, p. 408). Researchers
must also understand that if participants are harmed by deception, they are ethically obligated to
debrief them as soon as possible; however, this does not negate the impact the deception may
have had on the individual.
According to Kazdin (2021), privacy is defined as “an individual's rights to control
access to and disclosure of health information provided by the patient but also notes or
observations by health practitioners that enter the patient's records” (p. 410). Safeguards exist to
protect participants' right to privacy in research, including anonymity, confidentiality, and
restricted access to personal records. Protecting the privacy of information is critical, as
identifying details—such as those involving relatives, employers, or clinical records—can be
potentially damaging if misused or misrepresented. To uphold individuals’ right to privacy, the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was established. HIPAA is
designed to protect participants, grant them control over their health information, and provide
recourse if these rights are violated.
References
Kazdin, A. E. (2021). Research design in clinical psychology (5th ed.). Cambridge University
Press.