Implementing Ethical Principles in Social Research: Challenges, Possibilities and Limitations

Abstract

The article is based on descriptive theoretical research and focused on ethical principles in social research. It involves considerations on ethical principles and dimensions in social research as well as challenges and limitations for social researchers / scientists when they implement the social research studies. The following research questions are raised in the article: What are the challenges for social researchers / scientists and how to solve them in order to maintain the ethics of research? What commitments include ethical dimensions of social research? What ethical principles are relevant to scientific research, regardless of it‘s specific discipline? The purpose of the research is to consider the possibilities of implementation of ethical principles, limitations, obstacles, and challenges in social research. The author concludes that ethical considerations in social research are critical as they help to determine the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. The essential ethical considerations in social research ethics remains professional competence, integrity, processional and scientific responsibility, respect for research participants’ rights, dignity and diversity, and social responsibility of social researchers / scientists. In the conclusions also is accentuated that social researchers / scientists must be sensitive to cultural, individual, and role differences in serving, teaching, and studying groups of people with distinctive characteristics. In all of their social research-related or based activities they should acknowledge the rights of others to hold values, attitudes, and opinions that differ from their own. Thus social researchers / scientists should be aware of their professional and scientific responsibility to the social sciences communities and societies in which they live and work. They are responsible to apply and make public their knowledge in order to contribute to the public good.