Ethical dilemmas in social problems research: A theoretical framework

Interest in ethical issues in social science has increased greatly in recent years. However, no comprehensive framework for the prediction and elimination of ethical dilemmas has been presented in the literature. This paper first analyzes reasons for increased interest in ethical issues, and then presents a broad framework for prediction and analysis of ethical problems. This framework is based on exchange theory, and shows the interdependencies between five “publics” in the research process: sponsors, researchers, subjects, the media, and the general public. The model also utilizes the sociological concepts of role of each public, the configuration of ascribed and achieved status, and norm abeyance. The primary exchange concepts used are cost, benefit, and trust. The model is illustrated with four actual research projects where ethical dilemmas occurred, and is found to be predictive of ethical problems if there are great disparities in cost/benefit ratios between subjects and researchers or sponsors, if there is great discrepancy between the status of the subjects and the researchers or sponsors, and if the researchers engage in norm abeyance. the author ofMethods of Social Research and numerous articles on research methods. Bailey also is interested in theory and ecology. This research was partially funded by UCLA Senate Research Committee Grant #2884.