Question 1

In 2004 it was revealed that the Census Bureau had provided detailed data on Arab-Americans to the Department of Homeland Security.Which of the following is the MOST important "lesson learned" from that earlier situation?

Accepted Answer

The most important lesson learned from the situation is that even when a research decision is technically ethical, it may still put people at risk. The collection of data on Arab Americans in the census was not inherently wrong, but the sharing of that data with the Department of Homeland Security put these individuals at risk of being targeted and discriminated against. This highlights the importance of considering potential consequences and risks in research decisions, particularly when dealing with sensitive topics or populations. The other options (A, C, and D) do not fully capture the lesson learned from this situation.

Question 2

For a nutrition class,Samir is conducting a study about quitting smoking.He notices the process of demand characteristics at play and worries it will bias the study findings.Research subjects are

Accepted Answer

Demand characteristics refer to when research participants try to give responses that they believe the experimenter wants to hear or act in a way that they think is expected of them. In this case, Samir is concerned that participants may overreport their success in quitting smoking because they believe that is what the study wants to promote. This bias could lead to inaccurate findings.

Question 3

The Nuremberg Code established the principle that people must consent to be research subjects,and have the right to withdraw whenever they choose.Use this principle to analyze two of the following studies: the Tuskegee syphilis experiment,Laud Humphreys' Tearoom Trade,and the Zimbardo prison experiment.Explain how the study violated or upheld the Nuremberg Code principle.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Nuremberg Code established the principle that...

Question 4

In the course of her study on drug use,Eileen finds many instances of criminal activity.She ensures her subjects confidentiality,because before the study began she received a(n)

Accepted Answer

Eileen received a certificate of confidentiality before conducting her study, which ensures that she cannot be forced to disclose any identifying information about her participants, including in legal proceedings. This allows her to offer actual confidentiality to her subjects and protect them from any potential legal consequences related to their participation in the study. The other options do not specifically address the issue of confidentiality in the same way.

Question 5

Herman is a U.S.Census statistician and notices that in one zip code there is only one Arab-American family in an otherwise white neighborhood.He chooses the statistical technique that will make the Arab-American family's presence in society noticeable,but not traceable to the actual zip code where they live.Herman chooses

Accepted Answer

Data swapping is a technique used in statistical disclosure control where the data of individuals or units are swapped between different datasets. This method helps in protecting the privacy of individuals in datasets by making it difficult to link the data back to any specific individual or location, such as a zip code, while still allowing the overall statistical properties of the data to be analyzed. In this scenario, Herman chooses data swapping to make the Arab-American family's presence noticeable in the statistical analysis without revealing their exact location, thus maintaining their privacy.

Question 6

Genetic material that is donated now could be relevant for an individual's health in the future.Which of the following do sociologists consider a realistic possibility for protecting people's health with regard to genetic data,years after the initial study?

Accepted Answer

Re-contacting subjects or their descendants when necessary would allow for ongoing informed consent and respect for individuals' autonomy over their genetic data. This would also allow for any updates on the potential health implications of that data to be communicated to the individuals or their descendants.

Question 7

In the course of his study on nursing homes,Inger inadvertently learned about specific instances of elder abuse.She had promised her subjects confidentiality,but

Accepted Answer

In some states, researchers are legally required to report cases of abuse or neglect that they learn about during the course of their research. This is because the safety and well-being of the vulnerable population being studied, in this case, the elderly, takes precedence over confidentiality agreements. Therefore, Inger should report the abuse she learned about to the appropriate authorities, even if it means breaking her promise of confidentiality.

Question 8

List and describe two advantages and two disadvantages of the IRB system.

Accepted Answer

The answer of List and describe two advantages and two...

Question 9

Give an example of a vulnerable population.What makes these people vulnerable as research subjects?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Give an example of a vulnerable population.What...

Question 10

As a student at your university,you wish to conduct a study about some element of your university.Briefly describe a sociological study that would include an inappropriate conflict of interest.What makes it inappropriate?

Accepted Answer

The answer of As a student at your university,you wish...

Question 11

An IRB has approved a study involving deception.After the interviews,the researcher tells the subjects that although they were interviewed about public speaking nervousness,the study was really about body language.Why would the researcher disclose this?

Accepted Answer

According to ethical guidelines, subjects must be debriefed at the end of a study that involves deception. The researcher is disclosing the true purpose of the study as part of this debriefing process.

Question 12

The Belmont Report describes ethical practice with use of three principles.First,describe one general ethical principle shared by all three principles.Second,list the three principles and,for each one,briefly describe how it is distinctive (that is,unique and unlike the others).

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Belmont Report describes ethical practice with...

Question 13

Create a study in which confidentiality is the highest protection possible.Why,in this study,is anonymity not possible?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Create a study in which confidentiality is...

Question 14

The Nuremberg Code established the principle that experiments should never be designed to harm participants.Use this principle to analyze two of the following studies: Nazi concentration camp experiments,the Tuskegee syphilis experiment,the Milgram obedience experiment,and the Zimbardo prison experiment.Explain how the study violated or upheld the Nuremberg Code principle.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Nuremberg Code established the principle that...

Question 15

A new challenge in the era of big data is that,despite simple practices of de-identifying data,unique combinations of variables may be used to identify individuals.This reconstruction of data and its source is called

Accepted Answer

Deductive disclosure refers to the reconstruction of confidential information through the use of public or available information. With the vast amount of data available in the era of big data, it is increasingly possible to use unique combinations of variables to identify individuals, even with simple de-identification practices in place. This poses a challenge to ensuring confidentiality and protecting sensitive information.

Question 16

When the U.S.Census weighs risks and benefits of data release,statisticians sometimes determine that release of microdata risks harm to the individuals who could be identified.By not releasing certain data under these conditions,they practice

Accepted Answer

Suppression involves not releasing certain data to prevent the identification of individuals, thereby protecting their privacy and avoiding potential harm. This method is used when the risk of identifying individuals from the data is deemed too high.

Question 17

Define debriefing.Offer one reason why debriefing is likely sufficient for compensating for deception in research.Offer one reason why debriefing may not be sufficient for compensation for deception.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define debriefing.Offer one reason why debriefing is...

Question 18

Sociology professor Sudhir Venkatesh used deception in his ethnography of drug dealers (Gang Leader for a Day,2008).Why did he use deception? Why did some scholars think such deception was unethical? If you were Venkatesh,would you have used deception in the same way? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sociology professor Sudhir Venkatesh used deception in...

Question 19

Sociologist Mark Regnerus's research was funded by two conservative institutions,and its findings comported with the values of those institutions (that children raised by parents who ever had same-sex relationships had worse outcomes than others).Other sociologists questioned whether Regnerus

Accepted Answer

The fact that Regnerus's research was funded by conservative institutions with a stake in the outcome of the research suggests a conflict of interest on his part. This potential bias raises questions about the reliability and validity of his findings, and other sociologists have raised concerns about the methodology used in the study.

Quiz 3: Ethical Issues in Social Science Research