by Maria K. E. Lahman, Ph.D. and Carlene Brown, M.S.
“A [hu]man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.”
Research ethics may be seen as a procedural hurdle to surmount and then be done with. Even more problematic is that it may be assumed research ethics are an area researchers should readily understand and agree on. Instead, research ethics are an ongoing process that is culturally contextualized (Lahman, 2018). True ethical engagement begins after a researcher receives research ethics approval to commence research. The primary research ethics questions then become—who are you as an ethical being, and who do you aspire to be? This must be held in concert with—what are the ethical beliefs of those you research and the communities you serve?
As you consider research ethics, ask yourself:
What research ethics must I follow (e.g., institutional, discipline, governmental)?
What are my personal ethical beliefs? These tend to come from family, culture, and personal experiences.
What are the ethical beliefs of those with whom I conduct research? If I am not sure, how can I find out?
What research ethics might I aspire to beyond those that are required?
If you struggle to answer these questions, try the following. Ethical questions are deep and meant to be answered within community. People who can help include 1). research professors, 2). research officials at your institution, and 3) other students who have successfully navigated the research ethics approval process.
In the research ethics courses I, Maria, teach, which is reflected in the Sage Campus Research Ethics course, I guide course members through historical unethical research atrocities (e.g., Rees, 2005; Resnik & Hofweber, 2023; Skloot, 2010), exploration of the codes their institution, discipline, and country have, exploration of their personal research ethics understandings and those of the people they research. This rich engagement moves course members towards creating an initial personal research ethics stance. We share an example that Carlene developed in the following.
Mixed Methods Person-Centered Research: An Exemplar
Mixed methods research offers a holistic approach to study inquiries by combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Despite its increasing popularity since the late 1950s, there remains a notable need for definitive ethical guidelines specific to this methodology. Existing guidance from sources like Plano Clark and Ivankova (2016) emphasize principles such as obtaining institutional review board approval and maintaining professional conduct. Drawing insights from foundational research ethics upheld by organizations like the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA), Carlene seeks to establish a person-centered research ethics approach (e.g., Oyinloye, 2022). Adding participant-centered research ethics to existing ASA and QRCA guidelines offers a flexible and adaptive approach to strengthening ethical conduct in mixed-methods research. Focusing on participants' viewpoints, this approach
prioritizes participants' perspectives on ethical conduct alongside foundational guidelines.
demonstrates a commitment to cooperation.
advocates for transparency.
recognizes research participants' fundamental importance in research.
involves research participants in shaping the ethical framework.
acknowledges research participants’ contributions, risks, and unique needs.
aids in identifying ethical considerations and tailoring approaches to specific demographics, enhancing ethical integrity, and reflecting cultural responsiveness.
combines relational ethics and person-centered care.
fosters mutual respect and understanding, placing the participant-researcher relationship at the study's core.
seeks collaboration with research participants in all research phases, including consent, disclosure, and dissemination,
ensures a comprehensive ethical framework that respects participants as holistic individuals and empowers them in decision-making processes.
As you can see, Carlene’s initial research ethics stance offers rich possibilities to mixed methodologists.
Aspire Higher
We close by challenging readers to aspire beyond required procedural research ethics.
As we write, we are engaging with researchers who are striving to reduce power issues in disability research, amplifying those seldom heard in the university (e.g., Queer Folx, Indigenous Peoples, the poor), exploring health ethics, confronting unethical publication practices, exploring the unknown of large language models (e.g., Bard, ChatGPT), deepening conservation ethics, and sketching out ethical guidance in relationships between research consultants and clients. Maria has worked in this area for over two decades and has found it is through new scholars’ ethical intent that she keeps hope alive that researchers will find ways to work against unethical research and aspire to new heights.
References
Committee on Professional Ethics of the American Statistical Association. (2022). Ethical Guidelines for Statistical Practice. Boston; American Statistical Association.
Lahman, M. (2018). Ethics in social science research. SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071878750
Oyinloye, B. (2022). Reimagining the researcher-participant ethics relationship: A participant-centered, values-based ethics approach in comparative and International Education. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2022.2116929
Plano Clark, V., & Ivankova, N. (2016). How do interpersonal contexts shape mixed methods?: considering interactions with research participants, teams, and reviewers in mixed methods research. In Mixed Methods Research: A Guide to the Field (pp. 217-246). SAGE., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483398341
Qualitative Research Consultants Association. (n.d.). ‘QRCA code of member ethics.’ St. Paul. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.qrca.org/resource/resmgr/files/QRCA-code-of-member-ethics-2.pdf
Rees, L. (2005). Auschwitz: The Nazis and the 'final solution'. Random House.
Resnik, D. B., & Hofweber, F. W. (2023, August 22). Research Ethics Timeline. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/timeline
Skloot, R. (2010). The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Crown Publishers.
Stadnick, N. A., Poth, C. N., Guetterman, T. C., & Gallo, J. J. (2021). Advancing discussion of ethics in Mixed Methods Health Services Research. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06583-1
Maria K. E. Lahman, Ph.D., is a professor of qualitative methodology at the University of Northern Colorado in Colorado, USA. A former Institutional Research Board chair for over 15 years and creator and instructor of a graduate research ethics course, she is the author of several textbooks, including Ethics in Social Science Research: Becoming Culturally Responsive. A Mennonite, Maria challenges herself to weave aspects of social justice and peacebuilding into her pedagogy and scholarship. Maria's scholarship is focused on creating ethical solutions for culturally complex methodological situations, diversity, young children, mothering, and qualitative writing representation.
Carlene Brown, M.S., is a doctoral student in the Applied Statistics and Research Methods program at the University of Northern Colorado in Colorado, USA. Carlene is a mixed methodologist employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore the complexities of holistic health. Her research focuses on exploring the intricate interplay between human behavior and health outcomes, particularly in the context of vaccine hesitancy and preventative healthcare. Carlene’s aim in research is to gain a comprehensive understanding of behavioral lifestyle choices and holistic health with the ultimate goal of informing meaningful and effective public health messaging and interventions.
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