Jimmy's experiment requires him to tell subjects that they will be working in pairs to solve a problem when in reality he does not care about problem-solving. Jimmy is really observing the nonverbal communication between two people who do not know each other. Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning Jimmy's research?
A)Jimmy is deceiving his subjects.
B)Jimmy needs to determine whether deception is essential to the experiment.
C)Jimmy must tell the subjects that he plans to observe their nonverbal communications.
D)Jimmy is intruding into the lives of his subjects.
E)Jimmy must balance the potential harm to his subjects against the value of the research.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If Jimmy tells the subjects that he plans to observe their nonverbal communications, he will not be able to observe their natural behavior. This could compromise the validity of his results. While deception may be ethically questionable, it may be necessary in some cases to ensure that the behavior observed is genuine. Jimmy does need to balance the potential harm to his subjects against the value of the research, but he must also ensure that his experiment is designed and executed in an ethical manner. Intruding into the lives of his subjects may not be the best way to describe the situation, as subjects are voluntarily participating in the study.

Jimmy's Experiment Requires Him to Tell Subjects That They Will