When Laud Humphreys was a sociology graduate student at Washington University in St.Louis,he wrote his dissertation on the "tearoom trade," anonymous homosexual encounters in the men's rooms of public parks.To gather data,he acted as a lookout for his subjects,but he also surreptitiously noted license-plate numbers as the men left,so he could get their names and addresses.The next year,he picked about fifty men from the "tearooms" and interviewed them in their homes,claiming to be performing a health survey.His descriptions of the interviews made it possible for many of the men (and their families)to recognize themselves when the dissertation was published.Why do many sociologists consider this research method to be unethical?

Question

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Many sociologists consider this research method to be unethical because it failed to protect the biographical anonymity of his subjects. Humphreys collected personal information without their consent and published it without their knowledge or permission, which put their lives and reputations at risk. This violation of ethical principles could have been avoided if he had followed proper protocol for informed consent and confidentiality.

When Laud Humphreys Was a Sociology Graduate Student at Washington