Final answer:
The 'Principle of Respect for Persons' in the Belmont Report mandates informed consent, autonomy, privacy, and confidentiality for all research participants. It requires subjects to be treated with dignity and as ends in themselves, and also reinforces the correct attribution of sources to show respect for intellectual contributions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Belmont Report's 'Principle of Respect for Persons' is a crucial element in research involving human participants. This principle emphasizes the necessity to treat all individuals with autonomy and to protect those with diminished autonomy. In application, it requires that individuals freely give their informed consent prior to participating in research.
The informed consent process involves the researcher providing all the necessary information regarding the study including the potential risks, ensuring that participants understand this information, and that they voluntarily agree to participate without coercion.
In addition, this principle insists on the right to privacy and the requirement to maintain confidentiality. When conducting field research, researchers must respect not only the autonomy and consent of participants but also ensure their privacy and when required, anonymity.