By Dave - 10/09/2009 13:37 - United States

Today, my girlfriend of 3 years told me that I was part of an experiment for her Sociology doctorate. I also learned that the notebooks she's been writing in for the past three years aren't for her "doctorate in literature" as she had told me, they were notes on my behavior for the past 3 years. FML
I agree, your life sucks 55 527
You deserved it 3 572

Same thing different taste

Top comments

Can't be an experiment because if it was, human subjects have to give prior consent. Want to get even, complain to the dean of students that you unwillingly were a human subject for her experiments, feel as though your rights were violated and want to talk to someone at the university about its policies. She'll be F'd.

Comments

She just mindfucked you, loser. As if you're so enthralling that she would spend three years in your company for a PhD. What do you think she is? An intellectual prostitute?

I'm surprised her research even passed the ethics committee... I feel sorry for you!

My favourite thing about this thread is how it is really clear how many college/university students are on this thing. The discussions of university ethics committees or the differentiation between social sciences... you guys are great.

jaynedoe 0

you should read "the shape of things." it's a play by neil labute.

RiverRelic 0

You should inform her that she's been part of an experiment to see if you could pass along herpes. Then ask her if she's been itching of late. And any college kid who's had to take Psych 101 would know what is legal and what is illegal on human test subjects.

That is completely unethical, and I doubt any IRB would approve an experiment like that. She's lying to you.

Yeah, you're probably right. I mean, no one ever does anything unethical! She couldn't possibly have just, oh, done the experiment without getting it approved, or getting his informed consent! That wouldn't be ethical, and everything everyone does is ethical, always! OP, I hope you know the right people to report her to. Some ideas: her advisor, a professor, the dean, someone on the IRB.

actually #12 you DON'T need to tell the test subjects anything you just have to not mention the names in you paper. oh the joys of taking sociology

Yes, you do. You need a test subject's consent before you can do shit to them. It has NOTHING to do with anonymity or any of that, it's that you could be damaging them in some way, and so need their permission to risk that, AND they need to be fully informed of the risks involved... there's a whole big deal about it, I can't exactly remember everything, but the point is you NEED consent. And yes, using someone as a sociology experiment CAN be damaging, mentally speaking. I think you are confusing blind (and double blind) studies, where there are CONSENTING patients, with what's going on here.

FAKE! The OP obviously has no ******* clue what sociologist are and aren't concerned with.

You're obviously a retard for not understanding what a sociologist is too. Not only that, but you had to post about how the OP doesn't know. Good ******' Game all I can say to you. Seriously go on ******* Google and learn to read there. Behavior is one of the things a sociologist studies. So all you deserve you ******' dolt is a big ******' facepalm.

Oh wow, that really, really sucks! But isn't there some sort of law against doing experiments like that without prior consent? Otherwise we'd see this going on all over the place. I agree with other people out here, you should sue her. I've been with my girlfriend for just over four months, and even now I couldn't imagine how I would feel if something like that were done to me. Mind you, I really doubt that is the case, unless she's a damn good actress. Something like that just can't be legal. I wonder though whether she's making that shit up as an excuse to break up with you. It wouldn't surprise me, honestly.