Research ethicality: The perceptions of participants and their participation willingness

Abstract

In this examination of the use of cost-benefit analysis by subjects in the making of ethicality judgments and participation decisions, 318 subjects read one of eight hypothetical descriptions of a study representing four levels of possible subject costs and two levels of possible societal benefits. Six-point, Likert-type scales were used to assess: perceived level of risk; perceived level of benefit; meaningfulness of benefit; cost-benefit balance; participation willingness; and, ethicality of the study. Support for the use of cost-benefit analysis by subjects was found for both participation willingness and ethicality ratings. However, the data indicate that the subjects' decision making uses a subject-determined, cost-benefit ratio that differs from the experimenter-determined ratio. © 1991 Springer.