7.3.2 Avoiding harm to participants

• Harm in sociological research includes any detrimental impact on participants, categorized as physical harm, psychological harm, and social harm
• Match the type of harm with its definition and mitigation strategy:

  Physical Harm ↔️ Injury or discomfort; use safety protocols

  Psychological Harm ↔️ Emotional distress; offer counselling support

  Social Harm ↔️ Damage to reputation; ensure confidentiality
• Researchers must ignore potential harms to avoid bias in their findings.

  False
• Harm in sociological research refers to any detrimental impact on participants, categorized as physical, psychological, and social harm
• Match the type of harm with its definition and mitigation strategy:

  Physical Harm ↔️ Injury or discomfort; use safety protocols

  Psychological Harm ↔️ Emotional distress; offer counselling support

  Social Harm ↔️ Damage to reputation; ensure confidentiality
• Researchers must disclose all potential risks to participants during informed consent.


  True
• Harm in sociological research includes any detrimental impact on participants, categorized as physical, psychological, and social harm
• Match the type of harm with its definition and mitigation strategy:

  Physical Harm ↔️ Injury or discomfort; use safety protocols

  Psychological Harm ↔️ Emotional distress; offer counselling support

  Social Harm ↔️ Damage to reputation; ensure confidentiality
• Ethical principles in research require researchers to ignore potential harm to participants.

  False
• Match the type of harm with its definition and mitigation strategy:

  Physical Harm ↔️ Injury or discomfort; use safety protocols

  Psychological Harm ↔️ Emotional distress; offer counselling support

  Social Harm ↔️ Damage to reputation; ensure confidentiality
• The purpose of the informed consent process is to ensure participants understand the research aims and risks.


  True
• What is the critical ethical principle in sociological research that requires participants to voluntarily agree to take part in a study after being fully informed?

  Informed consent
• Participants must be informed about the specific activities they will be asked to engage in during the research.

  True
• Informed consent ensures participant privacy and data protection
• Obtaining informed consent helps researchers minimize potential risks and ensures participants make informed decisions about their involvement.

  True
• Invasive questioning about traumatic experiences can lead to psychological harm
• Match the type of harm with its mitigation strategy:

  Physical Harm ↔️ Implement safety protocols

  Psychological Harm ↔️ Offer counselling support

  Social Harm ↔️ Anonymize data
• Informed consent requires researchers to disclose any potential physical, psychological, or social harms
• What is the purpose of detailing research procedures in the informed consent process?

  Explaining activities
• What is informed consent in sociological research?

  Voluntary agreement to participate
• What does voluntary participation emphasize in informed consent?

  Right to refuse or withdraw
• Obtaining informed consent helps mitigate potential harm
• Confidentiality involves limiting access to participant data.


  True
• Researchers use pseudonyms to protect participants' identities
• What type of support should researchers offer to minimize psychological harm?

  Counselling support
• Match the type of harm with its mitigation strategy:

  Physical Harm ↔️ Implement safety protocols

  Psychological Harm ↔️ Offer counselling support

  Social Harm ↔️ Anonymize data
• The informed consent process allows researchers to minimize potential risks to participants.

  True
• Ethical principles in sociological research require researchers to be aware of and mitigate potential harm
• Informed consent is a critical ethical principle that requires participants to voluntarily agree to take part in a study after being fully informed
• Informed consent requires researchers to clearly explain the aims and objectives of the research
• What type of harm involves emotional distress, mental health issues, or anxiety induced by research?

  Psychological harm
• In a study on homelessness, what might the informed consent process emphasize to participants?

  Emotional distress
• What is an example of physical harm in sociological research?

  Strenuous activities
• Social harm occurs when research findings damage a participant's relationships or community standing.


  True
• Steps to minimize harm in sociological research

  1️⃣ Identify potential types of harm

  2️⃣ Develop mitigation strategies

  3️⃣ Obtain informed consent

  4️⃣ Implement safety protocols
• One key element of informed consent is outlining the potential benefits
• Steps researchers take to protect participant identity

  1️⃣ Anonymity: Removing identifying information

  2️⃣ Confidentiality: Securely storing data

  3️⃣ Pseudonyms: Assigning fictional names

  4️⃣ Aggregation: Reporting findings in aggregate

  5️⃣ Secure Storage: Keeping records in locked cabinets

  6️⃣ Consent Forms: Explaining confidentiality procedures
• What is anonymity in research?

  Removing identifying information
• Researchers can mitigate psychological harm by obtaining informed consent
• What mitigation strategy is used to address physical harm in research?

  Implement safety protocols