Primary Task Response Within The Discussion Board Are 063746
Primary Task Responsewithin The Discussion Board Area Write400600
Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas. Part 1: Ethics in Research Utilizing the Internet, CTU Library, and your textbook, choose 1 example (or use one of those listed below) of unethical research in a business setting, and discuss the following: Explain why research might be considered unethical. For your research proposal project in this course, explain what ethical considerations there are and how to avoid them.
Examples of unethical business research: Were OkCupid's and Facebook's Experiments Unethical? Volkswagen: The Scandal Explained. You may also wish to review an example timeline by clicking here.
Paper For Above instruction
In the realm of business research, ethics serve as the guiding principles that ensure the integrity, respect for individuals, and societal trust in research practices. Unethical research not only compromises the accuracy and credibility of findings but can also harm participants and tarnish the reputation of organizations involved. An illustrative example of unethical research is the Facebook emotion manipulation experiment conducted in 2014. Facebook manipulated users' news feeds to study emotional contagion without explicit informed consent, raising questions about ethical standards and user autonomy.
The Facebook study exemplifies unethical research primarily because of the lack of informed consent. Participants were unaware that their emotional states were being intentionally influenced for research purposes. Ethical research practices necessitate transparency: participants must be informed about the nature, purpose, and potential risks of the study to make an autonomous decision about participation. The absence of informed consent undermines the principle of respect for persons, which is foundational to research ethics (Belmont Report, 1979). Moreover, the potential psychological impact on users, who may have experienced emotional distress, underscores the importance of safeguarding participant well-being.
Another ethical concern relates to privacy and data security. In the Facebook experiment, sensitive emotional data was manipulated and analyzed without adequate safeguards or disclosure. Ethical research mandates that data collection, storage, and analysis adhere to confidentiality standards, protecting participant privacy from misuse or breaches (American Psychological Association, 2017). Failure to do so not only breaches ethical guidelines but also risks eroding public trust in research institutions and corporate practices.
Considering the ethical considerations for my own research proposal in this course, I would prioritize transparency, informed consent, and confidentiality. Specific steps include clearly informing participants of the research purpose, procedures, potential risks, and confidentiality measures. Ensuring voluntary participation without coercion and providing the option to withdraw at any time are also vital ethically. To avoid unethical practices, I would adhere strictly to established research guidelines such as the Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols, which review and approve research plans to safeguard ethical standards (National Institutes of Health, 2020). Implementing robust data security measures and anonymizing data where possible further ensures participants' privacy.
In conclusion, unethical business research, exemplified by Facebook's emotional contagion study, highlights the importance of adhering to core ethical principles such as respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. Researchers must commit to transparency, informed consent, confidentiality, and oversight to maintain integrity and public trust. For my research project, I will ensure ethical considerations are at the forefront by following established protocols, respecting participant autonomy, and safeguarding their data. Ethical research not only enhances validity but also upholds the moral responsibility researchers have toward their participants and society.
References
- Belmont Report. (1979). Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research.
- American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct.
- National Institutes of Health. (2020). Guidelines for research involving human subjects.
- Kramer, A. D. I., Guillory, J. E., & Hancock, J. T. (2014). Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(24), 8788-8790.
- Cadwalladr, C., & Graham-Harrison, E. (2018). Revealed: 50 million Facebook profiles harvested for Cambridge Analytica in major data breach. The Guardian.
- The Guardian. (2014). Facebook admits to experiments on emotional contagion without users' consent.
- Albert, M. (2018). Ethical dilemmas in digital marketing research. Journal of Business Ethics, 152(3), 551-564.
- Johnson, R. B., & Christensen, L. (2019). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed approaches. SAGE Publications.
- Resnik, D. B. (2018). Ethical Principles in Scientific Research. Journal of Medical Ethics, 44(4), 230-234.
- Devers, K. J., & Frankel, R. M. (2000). Study design in qualitative research—2: Sample size. Evidence-Based Nursing, 3(2), 36-37.