Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Experimental Research and Ethics

Experimental research is very important in the world of Public Relations. There are often times where research methods such as surveys or focus groups cannot be used and experimental research is the best way to find the answer.

However, when looking at ethics and experimental research some might argue there could be a problem. Because there is a lot of information that is kept from the participants a line of ethics could easily be crossed. Let's again take a look at the Tuskegee experiment where participants who had syphilis were being studied and wrongfully being denied drugs (without their knowledge) that could cure their disease.

Cases like this show the gaps that experimental research has. Unless there is a system in place where every experiment conducted is regularly monitor it is very easy for people to practice unethical behavior.

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