Final answer:
It is true that failing to introduce a client as the sponsor of research in a focus group setting is unethical because it violates the principles of informed consent and transparency, potentially leading to biased results and undermining the integrity of the research.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that including a client as a co-researcher in focus group settings without introducing the client as the sponsor of the research raises ethical problems. Participants have the right to know who is conducting the research and for what purpose, to ensure informed consent and transparency. If participants are unaware that the client is a part of the group, their responses could be influenced by the client's presence, leading to bias with this survey. Furthermore, sociological research must avoid not just actual harm, but the potential for harm, including emotional or psychological distress that might come from feeling misled about the nature of the research.
It is a core responsibility of researchers to respect the privacy and agency of their subjects, which includes being honest about who is involved in the research. This is crucial for avoiding bias in the data collected and maintaining the integrity of the survey results. Ethical practice in sociological studies, including focus groups, demands objective conduct without bias, and respecting guideless outlined by ethics committees or institutional review boards.