The Role of Ethical Standards in Applied Sociology

• Main Authors: Esfandiar Ghafarinasab, Mohammad Taghi Iman
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: University of Isfahan 2014-01-01
• Series: جامعه شناسی کاربردی
• Subjects: Ethical Standards; Applied Sociology; Social Responsibility; Professional Competency; Problem Solving
• Online Access: http://uijs.ui.ac.ir/jas/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-198&slc_lang=en&sid=1

Introduction Since the last decade, scientists, ordinary people and politicians have become increasingly aware of the importance of ethics in social research. Scientists, especially social scientists, found that the lack of ethics in the science may threaten the coherence, integrity and establishment of social research. Because in a sense science is constituted by society and relies on public financial and spiritual support, social scientists have social responsibility and they should get involved in a kind of research which is based on society and its characteristics. Therefore, we should pay more attention to social interests. Giving that we can say science has many social and professional aspects. Methods and Materials This paper attempts to show the importance of ethical standards in applied sociology as well as in solving social problems. Our research methodology is of non-experimental research and secondary analysis. Accordingly, we present the questions of the research as follow: 1)What are the reasons by which ethics become very important for applied sociology? 2)How can ethical standards help us to reach at a successful practice of applied sociology? 3)What is the ethical responsibility of applied sociology for clients? 4)How do ethical standards can help to solve social problems? 5)What is the ethical responsibility of sociologists in research and social intervention? Discussion of Results and Conclusions This paper examines the role and importance of ethical standards in applied sociology. Applied ethics discusses the ways we use the normative ethical theories about different affairs. Also, applied ethics explicitly focuses on the objective and detailed things and it attempts to solve the ethical problems. Moreover, ethics implicitly includes practical norms by which we can distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. Ethical norms are very widespread so that sometimes we imagine that it is a part of common sense. They provide a series of ethical principles and rules that constitute the underpinnings of professional practice and responsibilities. These are used as guiding principles. These principles constitute a system of normative judgment for sociologists. These also guide us to a series of principles that sociologists may be faced with them in their professions. A series of professional associations accepted some of the ethical rules and strategies about the ethical behavior and the ways of empowerment of it. These rules summarize the principles and strategies that sociologists should be followed in their everyday professional activities. These rules are consisted of professional competency, integrity, scientific and ethical responsibility, respect for human rights and dignity and accepting variety and social responsibility. In general, applied ethics includes individual sphere as well as the social sphere. Applied ethics in the individual sphere consisted of family ethics, personal relationship such as friendship with others as well as relationship with the young and the elderly. Applied ethics in social sphere includes biotechnology, medicine, political, legal, and media issues, sports and so on. Applied sociology is a branch of sociology whose mission is to use theories and methods of sociology to directly intervene in social affairs and bring positive social change for solving social problems. Such sociological practice recognize benefits of direct engagement and intervention of sociology in the process of planning and problem solving to create social changes. Sociological practice as a model is a subset of sociological practice in general. One of the main points of sociological practice is to use applied social research and give clients the needed information by experts. This information is applied to describe social systems, problematic issues and problems that must be solved. The characteristic of such sociological practice is that it actively participates in the cliental systems , that it may be a part of a team group that use a sociological insight to help come up with applied strategies for change and solving problems. Therefore, as an agent of intervention and change, sociological practice include the active and ongoing participation of all experts and they should attempt to work with clients. Thus sociological practice includes a structuring formula by which it provides required instruments. Individuals and groups attempt to communicate with each other in order to get help and solve social problems. Ethics include principles and standards that constitute the basis of professional responsibilities and activities and these should be taking as guiding principles. These laws should supervise research procedures and be prepared to suggest ways of responding to complaints about unethical behavior. We recommend that there are five principles in different fields that sociologists should follow. They include: professional competency, integrity, scientific and ethical responsibilities, respect for the rights and status of humans and accepting their diversity.