Sociological Science Accelerator (SSA)
Code of Conduct
In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, we as members of the Sociological Science Accelerator (SSA) pledge to engage in behaviour that makes participation in our projects and our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, physical characteristics, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual identity and orientation, and/or other relevant individual differences or characteristics.
We strive to foster an open and welcoming environment by giving all members an equal opportunity to propose studies, contribute to studies, provide feedback on studies and policies, and participate in discussions about the SSA and how to improve it.
Our Standards
As SSA members, we are committed to conducting ourselves in a way that supports our mission:
To accelerate the accumulation of reliable and generalizable evidence in sociology through large-scale, reproducible, and collaborative research across the discipline.
We also commit to upholding the SSA's core principles of diversity and inclusion, decentralised authority, transparency, rigor, and openness to criticism, and to creating a positive environment for all members.
Examples of behaviour that contribute to a positive environment include:
- Using welcoming, non-discriminatory, and inclusive language.
- Being respectful of differing viewpoints, experiences, cultural norms, and styles of communication.
- Gracefully accepting constructive criticism.
We operate on the assumption that others are well-intentioned and open-minded. Skepticism, criticism, and debate are welcome in the SSA when conducted in the spirit of constructive scientific discussion.
Unacceptable Behaviour
Examples of unacceptable behaviour include:
- Commenting primarily to provoke; insulting or derogatory remarks; or personal or political attacks.
- Public or private harassment or intimidation based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, age, appearance, religion, or other group status.
- The use of sexualized language or imagery.
- Sexual harassment or intimidation, including unwelcome sexual attention or advances, stalking (physical or virtual), or unsolicited physical contact.
- Sustained disruption of meetings, discussions, or events, or threatening speakers verbally or physically.
- Publishing others' private information (such as physical or electronic addresses) without explicit permission.
- Continuing behaviours that other SSA members have reasonably requested be stopped.
Our Responsibilities
- All SSA members are encouraged to clarify and uphold standards of acceptable behaviour.
- The SSA Organising Committee are responsible for taking appropriate and fair corrective action in response to any instances of unacceptable behaviour.
- SSA leadership has the right and responsibility to remove, edit, or reject comments, materials, or other contributions that do not align with this Code of Conduct, or to temporarily or permanently remove individuals from SSA spaces or projects if their behaviour is deemed inappropriate, threatening, offensive, or harmful.
Enforcement
Instances of abusive, harassing, or otherwise unacceptable behaviour may be reported by contacting SSA leadership at:
sociologyexperimental@gmail.com
The SSA will maintain confidentiality with regard to the reporter whenever possible.
All complaints will be reviewed and investigated by the SSA Leadership. If a complaint is found to be justified, leadership will determine an appropriate response, which may include warnings, removal from projects, or expulsion from SSA membership.
If the accused is a member of SSA leadership, the Committee reviewing the case will take steps to minimize conflicts of interest.
If the complaint remains substantiated after this process, a brief anonymized summary of the violation may be shared with SSA members.
SSA committee members who fail to follow or enforce this Code of Conduct in good faith may themselves face temporary or permanent consequences, as determined by the rest of the leadership team.
Scope
This Code of Conduct applies:
- Within all SSA-managed spaces (e.g., online platforms, meetings, study teams, and communications), and
- In public spaces when an individual is representing the SSA.
Examples of representing the SSA include using an official SSA email address, posting from an official SSA account, or acting as an SSA representative at meetings, conferences, or other events.
The scope of representation may be further clarified by SSA leadership.