Situation
Professor Irvin Jones, a nationally reputed expert in measurement, agrees to have his name used to endorse a book which guarantee students successful scores passes on advanced graduate placement exams. He will receive a fee for the use of his name.
Questions
- Is this a question of “ethical behavior” on the part of Professor Jones ?
- What are Professor Jones’ obligations as a sociologist to verify that the work to which he is lending his reputation and expertise are not misleading?
- Does it make a difference if Professor Jones was reimbursed or not for his endorsement?
Discussion
Sociologists have an obligation to review and assess the accuracy of claims if they are going to be used as experts, whatever the situation. The fact that this case includes a fee is irrelevant. Dr. Jones has to judge the fit of his expertise with the guarantee made by the book’s author and publisher. If Dr. Jones did the analysis or even if he reviewed/reanalyzed relevant data on which the claims are made and was led to similar conclusions, he may feel comfortable with this use of his name to promote the product. However, how the product is being promoted is also a central issue that must be examined. If the claims made are a “stretch” from the findings of the data, they he should refrain from having his name used. In general, the limits of our scientific knowledge do not permit the granting of guarantees of the sort made in this case.
