Between public and private RPOs

The Code of Ethics for the Social and Behavioural Sciences does not intend to dictate the same specific measures and procedures for all researchers of all disciplines at all times. It offers general ethical guidelines that should be considered as default, but that require critical assessment and deliberation to be applied in concrete situations. The guidelines laid down below must be read in this light. Particular situations may require researchers to depart from the code. However, subscribing to the code is not non-committal and in all cases researchers are expected to be able to clearly explain their considerations and to account for their choices. Thus, the guiding theme here is apply or explain.