Ethics in Gender Research

Ethical considerations are a part of the foundation of any study in psychology. The American Psychological Association (APA) has specified guidelines that must be followed to ensure that human participants are protected from forms of distress such as breaches in confidentiality, deception, and undue physical or mental harm. In addition to APA guidelines, academic institutions also have an institutional review board that engages in a thorough review of a study’s data collection procedures, sample selection, and actions in which participants will be engaged. In most cases, certain participants are only excluded from a study with a justifiable scientific rationale (e.g., excluding participants not living in the United States when researching voting patterns of individuals in Nebraska). Despite the many safeguards in place for participants, some ...