Ethical Covert Research

• Published in: Sociology (Oxford) Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 118 - 133
• Main Author: Spicker, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.02.2011; Sage Publications; Sage Publications Ltd; Cambridge University Press
• Subjects: Covert; Criminals; Deceit; Deception; Disclosure; Ethics; Information; Informed consent; Medical research; Observational research; Participant observation; Patient confidentiality; Privacy; Research Ethics; Research methods; Research subjects; Rights; Social ethics; Social research; Sociology; Sociology of knowledge and ethics; Sociology of knowledge and sociology of culture; Sociology of science; Australia; United States > US; ethics; covert; research; limited disclosure; Ethics; Privacy; Legitimacy; Scientific Research; Subject
• ISSN: 0038-0385; 1469-8684
• DOI: 10.1177/0038038510387195

Covert research is research which is not declared to the research participants or subjects. This is often muddled with deception, and condemned as intrinsically unethical. The basis of that condemnation is a legitimate concern with the rights of research subjects. It is, however, overgeneralized. Research subjects do have rights, but they are not the only people with rights. They may have some say about the use of information, but not all information is under their control. They are entitled to privacy, but not everything is private. Undeclared, undisclosed research in informal settings has to be accepted as a normal part of academic enquiry.