Social and behavioral research on terrorism raises a unique constellation of ethical issues not present in other research contexts. The workshop to be supported with this award will examine the general parameters that should guide ethical decision-making across specific cases. These concerns group into three categories the workshop will address: (1) Deception v. Autonomy. Under what circumstances, if any, is it ethical for a researcher to deceive subjects, or to conceal facts, to recruit participants or to help ensure valid results? (2) Maximizing Beneficence and Maintaining Justice. Participation in routine social/behavioral research procedures usually poses little risk, but research on terrorism may pose unusual risks to subjects, either because participation itself associates subjects with U.S. interests, or because subjects express views that could target them for reprisals. Another core principle of the Belmont Report, that of "justice," requires that researchers ensure those who bear the burdens of research share equally in its benefits. Reconciling this principle with some studies, particularly those involving overseas populations, poses challenges. (3) Ensuring Confidentiality. The Common Rule obligates researchers to provide robust protection for the data they gather to minimize risks posed by breach of confidentiality.
Research on terrorism may raise specific challenges to confidentiality, from taking measures to prevent subjects in focus groups from recognizing one another to addressing unusually strong governmental interest in resultant data (both from the U.S. and, in some cases, local authorities). The results of this workshop will be disseminated through a report, either as a RAND technical report or as a special article within a journal focused on ethics and human protection. Results of the workshop will provide needed guidance to social and behavioral science researchers, help program officers in federal funding agencies and other sponsoring organizations understand the constraining ethical parameters of research, and assist Institutional Review Boards in making consistent, principled decisions in specific cases.
