John is a respected faculty member in the Department of Psychology. His graduate students have a high esprit de corps and generally move on to doctoral programs at leading research universities. Do John and his students need to take into consideration their public image in the conduct of their research? Do they need to do anything differently from other less well-known or less well-respected faculty and students?
Yes. All researchers must keep in mind that they have a public image. They should be acquainted with the general character of this image. They should do their best to keep the reputation as "professional" as possible. A key element of professionalism is "uncompromising honesty." And, yes, researchers with strong reputations should be aware that this strength can add credence to claims of authoritarianism, coersion, and duress. Play to this strength softly and with humility. In addition, an honest respect for one's own limitations will serve very well to avoid the aura of authority which can often infringe the autonomy of human subjects of research. The perceptions of the human subjects themselves regarding the inevitable curtailments and infringements of their decision-making autonomy are all-important.
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