If a researcher creates a mass panic to do a study, that's clearly unethical. But is it unethical to use someone else's mistake and do studies on the aftereffects if you, as the researcher, had nothing to do with the original mistake that caused a mass panic?
Conversation
Replying to
In my mind no. Take it more extreme, is it unethical to create a massive toxic waste spill? Obv. yes. Is it unethical to study impact on humans lives? No definitely not.
1
Replying to
As long as you're not doing anything to prolong or exacerbate the panic? It's no problem. There are entire psychology books about people in such situations.
1
Replying to
It's almost unethical to not study the effects to find ways to prevent the panic bits should something similar happen in the future.
2
Replying to
Research on things you didn't cause is one of the classic ways to better understand a sensitive issue that would otherwise be difficult to look at. technologyreview.com/s/508381/the-n
1
2
+1, some of the most interesting studies are natural experimental designs looking at exactly this
1
2
Show replies