The ethics of student participation in economic experiments: Arguments and evidence

Abstract

Despite strong professional practice norms experimental economists are increasingly subject to sweeping ethics review processes. A central issue in these processes is the recruitment of students as “overresearched” participants. We critically discuss the potential associated ethical risks typically identified in ethics regulations. We then test the efficacy of potential design countermeasures. We find support for some (informed consent procedures, debriefings, non-differential rewards, opt-in) but not others (research outside class time, educational relevance, non-teacher researchers). The paper intends to inform economists’ (1) design choices to reduce ethical risks without sacrificing scientific integrity, and (2) justification of these choices to ethics review boards.