Ethical Question: Is it ethical to do a study where the results might be trivial?
Mr. Quallaby is a well-known businessman in the area. He has a lot of money and has in the past donated some of it to the university. Mr. Quallaby can be eccentric at times and has requested that the Psychology Department run a study looking into the relationship between someone’s head size and their intelligence level. He talks to the administration of the university, and says that he would be willing to make a sizeable donation to the school if Dr. McCafferty, in the Psychology Department, would do this research study in a group of local elementary schools. Mr. Quallaby is willing to make the donation regardless of how the study turns out; however, he is convinced Dr. McCafferty will find a positive relationship between head size and intelligence level.
Reflection Questions:
- What are some of the ethical arguments Dr. McCafferty should have in favor of conducting the experiment?
- What are some of the ethical arguments Dr. McCafferty should have against conducting the experiment?
- Put yourself in Dr. McCafferty’s shoes. What would you do? Explain.