"Booooooyaahhhh...I'm not really pregnant!"

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

First, a massive amount of social psych research is explicitly based on lying to the participants/subject - consent is an issue to an extent (ie. they're being observed), but that consideration is relatively minor to my mind. Otherwise, her duplicity is actually fairly standard research protocol.

Second, I'm not sure what you mean by "agency" - she doesn't have to exert any sort of influence (social or otherwise) over her peers to gain valid insight. In fact, the more 'usual' she is, the better off the research outcomes might be.

Finally, she may or may not have the proper tools to actually give insight, but we won't know until the final product is produced, right?

I don't think it'll be groundbreaking in the sense that it won't earn peer review or publication or anything, but it's interesting she chose the project itself, and (to my mind) it hasn't really been studied in an academic sense. I'm interested in the results.

Although I agree with most of your post, I disagree that this level of deception is standard. Some deception yes, but no one here consented and there could indeed have been some harm caused. An IRB would likely not have approved the project as is, not with minors involved.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Although I agree with most of your post, I disagree that this level of deception is standard. Some deception yes, but no one here consented and there could indeed have been some harm caused. An IRB would likely not have approved the project as is, not with minors involved.

There's definitely a reason I said "lying" and not "lying to this extent", haha - but yeah, it's difficult to draw the line, and I'm glad it isn't my responsibility to do so.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

There's definitely a reason I said "lying" and not "lying to this extent", haha - but yeah, it's difficult to draw the line, and I'm glad it isn't my responsibility to do so.

True, and much like certain hazing rules, the rules are strict due to past screw ups. However revealing it was, no one really wants another Milgrim. It's a shame sometimes, you can think of some really interesting things to do, but they're entirely impossible because they're completely unethical.

The scientific mind wishes there was a way and the ethical mind slaps it and tells it to stop.