a bit more on subjects vs. participants

[Scott Lilienfeld]

At the risk of straining listmembers' patience, still a bit more on subjects vs. participants, from today's NY Times.  ....Scott Letters Published: June 22, 2004 f Subjects and Participants To the Editor: Re: "The Subject Is ... Subjects" (June 15): The word "subject" in no way implies that people "are having things done to them," as the American Psychological Association asserts. Such people would be called objects, not subjects. It takes many people to carry out an experiment. There is the experimenter, who conducts the investigation, and the subject, who provides the empirical data. But technicians, research assistants and confederates often take part as well. Advertisement All these people "participate." To call subjects "participants" not only denies recognition of their unique contribution to research, but also denies proper recognition to the other participants as well. DR. JOHN F. KIHLSTROM Berkeley, Calif. The writer is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. To the Editor: As a physician and researcher who has been using the term "participants" for a while, I was surprised by the psychological association's request that the word not be used to describe subjects with Alzheimer's disease ("The Subject Is "). The A.P.A. suggests that Alzheimer's patients can never give informed consent. However, dementia does not always preclude one from having decision-making capacity. And even those who cannot give informed consent need to show some willingness go along with an experiment. Assent, though it might imply less of an appreciation of the research, is still necessary to ensure real participation. DR. DANIEL J. BRAUNER Chicago -- Scott O. Lilienfeld, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Psychology, Room 206 Emory University 532 N. Kilgo Circle Atlanta, Georgia 30322 (404) 727-1125 (phone) (404) 727-0372 (FAX) Home Page: http://www.emory.edu/PSYCH/Faculty/lilienfeld.html The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice: www.srmhp.org The Master in the Art of Living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his intellectual passions. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him – he is always doing both. - Zen Buddhist text (slightly modified) --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

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