Can subterfuge be honourable?
Quiz-summary
0 of 4 questions completed
Questions:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Information
Try out a Conversation Sim
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
Quiz is loading...
You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.
You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:
Results
Time has elapsed
Categories
- Not categorized 0%
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- Answered
- Review
-
Question 1 of 4
1. Question
A problem
Two researchers in social medicine have devised a plan to investigate the hidden milieu of online anorexic communities. They are extremely secretive and members on pro-ana sites are suspicious and exclude all forms of research. One of the investigators adopts a pseudonym, uses the language of youth and projects all the neuroses to gain acceptance. How ethical is this methodology?
A response
It sounds ugly but we have to remember that anorexia is a serious condition, akin to suicide, and unless we understand how it is handled, we cannot advance medical science.
FeedbackGood answer, Maybe. But this response doesn’t answer the ethical question. It’s true that we want to understand anorexia; but does that mean that we have to resort to deception. The investigators are conducting themselves in a somewhat fraudulent spirit.
FeedbackPerhaps more prudent to say Maybe. This response doesn’t answer the ethical question. It’s true that we want to understand anorexia; but does that mean that we have to resort to deception. The investigators are conducting themselves in a somewhat fraudulent spirit.
-
Question 2 of 4
2. Question
That problem again
Two researchers in social medicine have devised a plan to investigate the hidden milieu of online anorexic communities. They are extremely secretive and members on pro-ana sites are suspicious and exclude all forms of research. One of the investigators adopts a pseudonym, uses the language of youth and projects all the neuroses to gain acceptance. How ethical is this methodology?
Another response
The problem that our investigators have is stated clearly enough in the question: there is no other way of penetrating the ring. Would you say that the Police cannot use undercover agents to fight crime? If unmarked Police cars are a legitimate strategy of law enforcement (where the Police masquerade as citizens) then covert methods are surely acceptable in science, where the stakes are just as serious. Your suggestion in the feedback is trying to be more Catholic than the Pope.
FeedbackGood answer, this Maybe! Personally, I don’t like this response but we can definitely accommodate a maybe. We can agree that Police can catch law-offenders by degrees of deception but that doesn’t justify deception per se.
FeedbackI would prefer to say Maybe. Personally, I don’t like this response (so we feel similarly) and we can definitely accommodate a maybe. We can agree that Police can catch law-offenders by degrees of deception but that doesn’t justify deception per se.
-
Question 3 of 4
3. Question
That problem again
Two researchers in social medicine have devised a plan to investigate the hidden milieu of online anorexic communities. They are extremely secretive and members on pro-ana sites are suspicious and exclude all forms of research. One of the investigators adopts a pseudonym, uses the language of youth and projects all the neuroses to gain acceptance. How ethical is this methodology?
Another response again
The problem with deception is that it doesn’t end with a single trick. The whole structure of the research is based on deceit. In order to gain any kind of information or insight, the investigator-trickster has to cultivate trust and friendship: a relationship has to develop which is of course duplicitous and manipulative.
FeedbackYes, good answer. And how do you know in advance that you will arrive at such great insights that will justify this risk to personal probity? It’s such rotten karma. Besides, the technical ramifications of your dishonesty show up in the way that you use the product of the ruse. How are you going to quote these people who have been induced to drop their self-protection? All of your data are stolen. You are committing a breach of trust which is clearly unethical.
FeedbackReally? I would have said Yes. And how do you know in advance that you will arrive at such great insights that will justify this risk to personal probity? It’s such rotten karma. Besides, the technical ramifications of your dishonesty show up in the way that you use the product of the ruse. How are you going to quote these people who have been induced to drop their self-protection? All of your data are stolen. You are committing a breach of trust which is clearly unethical.
-
Question 4 of 4
4. Question
That problem for a final time
Two researchers in social medicine have devised a plan to investigate the hidden milieu of online anorexic communities. They are extremely secretive and members on pro-ana sites are suspicious and exclude all forms of research. One of the investigators adopts a pseudonym, uses the language of youth and projects all the neuroses to gain acceptance. How ethical is this methodology?
A final response
An ethics committee will give assent to this kind of falsehood if it accepts the argument that the value of the research justifies the deception. In certain cases, the disagreeable methodology will be valorized by a perception of need, such as saving lives. Researchers need to be aware of the huge burden of proof that this puts on their work, because if they cannot convince the reader that their work substantially contributes to the welfare of individuals, their deception stands as a permanent smear on their reputation and their institution’s.
FeedbackYes, I agree. The argument of compelling need was the justification given in a case similar to that described above, Sarah Brotsky & David Giles, ‘Inside the “Pro-ana” Community: A Covert Online Participant Observation’, Eating Disorders, 15:93–109, 2007. Read and judge for yourself. My personal view? The results of the investigation are unremarkable (advancing little that we might not have supposed) and the deception is not excused from shabbiness on account of its conclusions helping humankind.
FeedbackReally? I would say Yes. The argument of compelling need was the justification given in a case similar to that described above, Sarah Brotsky & David Giles, ‘Inside the “Pro-ana” Community: A Covert Online Participant Observation’, Eating Disorders, 15:93–109, 2007. Read and judge for yourself. My personal view? The results of the investigation are unremarkable (advancing little that we might not have supposed) and the deception is not excused from shabbiness on account of its conclusions helping humankind.