Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Ethics in Research01:56

Ethics in Research

26.2K
Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not always been the case. Modern researchers must demonstrate that the research they perform is ethically sound.
26.2K
Ethics and Bioethics01:22

Ethics and Bioethics

3.6K
Ethics is a philosophical study of moral actions. Ethics attempts to determine what is valuable for individuals and society. It examines the rational justification of moral judgments and analyzes what is morally just, fair, and right. Bioethics is a sub-discipline of applied ethics that analyzes the philosophical, social, and legal issues in life sciences and medicine. Ethical theories serve as a foundation for decision-making and represent the viewpoints from which people seek direction. They...
3.6K
Ethical Dilemmas I01:17

Ethical Dilemmas I

2.4K
Ethical dilemmas in nursing are of utmost importance, as they often arise from the tension between adhering to core ethical principles and the practical realities of healthcare delivery. These dilemmas require nurses to navigate complex situations where competing ethical considerations pull them in different directions.
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
2.4K
Ethical Dilemmas II01:30

Ethical Dilemmas II

2.9K
Resolving an ethical dilemma in healthcare involves a systematic approach that considers every aspect of the issue, respecting both the patient's needs and values and the healthcare professional's ethical obligations. Here are potential steps to resolve an ethical dilemma:
2.9K
Obedience01:08

Obedience

35.7K
According to obedience research, we may harm others under the forceful pressures of an authority figure (Milgram, 1974). How about if the inappropriate orders were delivered with less force? The increasing interdependence between nurses and physicians compelled Hofling and his colleagues to explore nurses’ reactions to a potentially harmful medical request made by the perceived authority figure, the doctor (Hofling, Brotzman, Dalrymple, Graves, & Pierce, 1966). In this situation,...
35.7K
Ethical Issues01:27

Ethical Issues

2.5K
Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
2.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Synthetic ecology of coastal ecosystems.

Cell reports·2026
Same author

Local drivers in accelerating North American heat stress.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Sexual dimorphism in the colonic microbiome and host's transcriptomics profiles of a murine model of multiple sclerosis.

Clinical immunology communications·2026
Same author

Managing microbial interactions in environmental biotechnology: can we scale interaction principles?

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same author

Radiation-induced lymphopenia is associated with survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy.

JHEP reports : innovation in hepatology·2026
Same author

Increased Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks Associate With Stronger Calcium-Microbial and Multi-Trophic Interactions Under Warming.

Global change biology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 7, 2026

Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods
13:04

Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods

Published on: September 19, 2012

12.5K

Ethical Ambiguity in Science.

David R Johnson1, Elaine Howard Ecklund2

  • 1Department of Sociology, Rice University, 6100 Main Street MS28, Houston, TX, 77005, USA. drj4@rice.edu.

Science and Engineering Ethics
|July 15, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Scientists often view research ethics as gray areas, not black and white. This study explores ethical ambiguity in physics, suggesting ethics training should address these nuanced scenarios.

Keywords:
AmbiguityConsequentialismCross-nationalDeontologyPhronesisPhysics

More Related Videos

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations
09:07

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations

Published on: September 16, 2015

9.5K
Ole Isacson: Development of New Therapies for Parkinson's Disease
23:53

Ole Isacson: Development of New Therapies for Parkinson's Disease

Published on: April 29, 2007

8.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 7, 2026

Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods
13:04

Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods

Published on: September 19, 2012

12.5K
Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations
09:07

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations

Published on: September 16, 2015

9.5K
Ole Isacson: Development of New Therapies for Parkinson's Disease
23:53

Ole Isacson: Development of New Therapies for Parkinson's Disease

Published on: April 29, 2007

8.5K

Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Scientific Ethics
  • Research Integrity

Background:

  • Traditional views assume clear consensus on scientific misconduct.
  • Ethical ambiguity, where legitimate and illegitimate conduct blur, is under-explored.
  • Physicists' perspectives on ethical gray areas are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine physicists' narratives on ethical ambiguity in scientific research.
  • To identify common orientations that permit questionable behavior.
  • To inform science ethics training for clearer resolution of ambiguous situations.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted 171 in-depth interviews with physicists in the US and UK.
  • Analyzed narratives of 48 physicists to understand perceptions of ethical ambiguity.
  • Identified three key discursive strategies used to rationalize ethically ambiguous situations.

Main Results:

  • Physicists perceive numerous research scenarios as ethically ambiguous ('gray areas').
  • Common rationalizations include altruism, downplaying consequences, and maintaining the status quo.
  • These strategies prioritize collective scientific interest over ethical clarity.

Conclusions:

  • Ethical ambiguity is a significant aspect of scientific practice.
  • Current ethics training may not adequately prepare scientists for nuanced ethical dilemmas.
  • Training should incorporate strategies for navigating and resolving ethically ambiguous scenarios in research.