The Use of Coercion to Secure Participants for a Research

question 42

Multiple Choice

The use of coercion to secure participants for a research project can be a tricky issue.In which of the following scenarios is the coercion used to secure research participants considered ethical?

• A) Megan, a Canadian undergraduate student, volunteered for a study in which she was asked to look at disturbing pictures and report her emotional responses because her professor made research participation a requirement of the course she was completing.
• B) Chris, a prisoner at Warkworth Institution, complied with a request to be interviewed about his experience of prison violence because he was worried he would receive worse treatment from the guards if he refused to comply.
• C) Brandon, a 14-year-old high school student, agreed to complete a survey on his beliefs and behaviour pertaining to drug use because the researcher was his English teacher's wife and he worried refusing to participate would upset his teacher.
• D) Brent, a graduate student at a competitive university, witnessed a group of children shoplifting at the mall. Brent told the children he would turn them in and inform their parents of the shoplifting unless thy agreed to participate in his study on peer pressure.
• E) Dr. Benton, an esteemed criminologist, responds to distress calls with police officers to interview persons who have been victimized. Knowing female victims of spousal abuse might be reticent to talk to her out of loyalty to their partners, Dr. Benton secretly tells the victims their husbands will not be charged if they cooperate with her.

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Definitions:

Emotional Vulnerability

A state or condition in which individuals are more susceptible to being emotionally hurt or impacted by external factors.

Marxist Theory

A social, political, and economic philosophy named after Karl Marx, focusing on class struggle, the effects of capitalism, and the means of achieving socialism.

Exploitative Capitalist System

An economic system criticized for exploiting workers and prioritizing profits over the well-being of individuals.

Deviance

Involves actions or behaviors that violate societal norms and expectations, leading to social judgment.