If a college student agrees to participate in an experiment and then, after completing part of the work, drops out:
A) the student should be penalized in some way, such as lowering his grade in a college class
B) the student should be required to provide another person to substitute for him
C) nothing should be done because the student has the right to withdraw
D) the student is legally committed to complete the project and should be informed of this fact

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Participants in experiments have the right to withdraw at any time without penalty or consequence, as long as their withdrawal does not put themselves or others in danger. It is important to respect participants' autonomy and their right to make decisions about their own participation. Penalizing or requiring substitutions would violate this principle. While researchers may be disappointed that a participant has dropped out, they should still thank the participant for their time and effort in completing part of the work.

If a College Student Agrees to Participate in an Experiment