Final answer:
Ethical conduct is required of both researchers and study participants, which includes informed consent, avoiding harm, maintaining objectivity, and adhering to regulations.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, ethical conduct does indeed apply to researchers who undertake research, as well as to the respondents who provide them with the necessary data. Professional researchers must adhere to an ethical and legal framework, ensuring that informed consent is obtained from participants who must willingly agree to take part in the study and allow their information to be used. Ethical conduct in research means avoiding physical or psychological harm to participants, obtaining informed consent, maintaining objectivity and avoiding bias, and following legal and institutional guidelines like IRB approval. Examples such as the Milgram Experiment highlight the importance of ethical considerations in research. Sociologists and scholars in other fields have a duty to ensure the safety of participants and stop the research if it becomes potential harm. Unethical practices like offering extra credit to students for participation can introduce bias and create ethical dilemmas. Researchers must respect privacy, maintain anonymity when necessary, and properly attribute credit to avoid plagiarism—ensuring the fair and ethical treatment of subjects is paramount.