Risks of harm in social and behavioral sciences generally fall into three categories:
- Invasion of privacy,
- Breach of confidentiality,
- Study procedures
1: Invasion of privacy:
If the personal data of a participant is evaded without the consent of the subject, it is called an invasion of privacy.
Example 1:
For instance, a researcher has joined a group without showing his or her true identity; the participants will feel a threat to their personal information if the researcher identity got to disclose.
Invasion of privacy may also happen after knowing the true identity of the researcher despite assuring them; it will not happen because participants will still feel a treat to their personal information.
Example 2:
For instance, a researcher is working on the emotional reactions of a rape survivor by conducting meetings with a student on a particular day and a specific time in a university lab by meeting the same girl; other students may come to know the personal information of the student.
2: Breach of confidentiality:
When the personal data of the participants gets revealed outside the research circle, it is called a breach of confidentiality.
When the personal data of the participants got released through an unauthorized source, confidentiality may get compromised.
Example:
For instance, continuing the above example, if the personal data or the identity of the rape survivor got revealed in public, it will increase the psychological problems of the student.
3: Study procedures:
Sometimes being part of the research can risk the subject.
Example:
For instance, if a researcher is conducting interviews with a group, the researcher must set the meeting with individual members in such a location where the other members of the group could not know about their interaction.