What is the ethical principle that involves informing participants of their rights in research?

The correct answer is informed consent. This ethical principle is fundamental in research involving human participants, as it ensures that individuals are fully aware of the nature of the study, what their participation entails, and any potential risks or benefits. By obtaining informed consent, researchers respect the participants' autonomy and right to make an informed decision about their involvement in the research. This practice fosters transparency and trust between researchers and participants, allowing for ethical treatment throughout the research process.

Informed consent requires that participants have access to clear, comprehensive information about the study, including its purpose, procedures, potential impacts, and their right to withdraw at any time. This principle not only protects participants but also upholds the integrity of the research process.

The other options, while relevant to ethical considerations in research, do not specifically focus on the requirement to inform participants of their rights. Debriefing pertains to providing participants with the details of the study after their involvement, autonomy refers to the capacity of individuals to make an independent choice, and confidentiality involves safeguarding participants' personal information. Each of these concepts plays a vital role in ethical research practices, but informed consent is specifically designated for the initial phase of participant engagement.