chapter 15 Flashcards
(29 cards)
Ethics in the history of psychology - video
Watson
monster study
milgram experiment
bystander effect
zimbardo
ash
(see notes)
Three approaches to ethical decisions:
deontology
ethical skepticism
Utilitarian
Guidelines enforced by the APA and federal government are primarily utilitarian
Deontology
ethics must be judged in light of a universal moral code
Ethical skepticism
concrete and inviolate moral codes cannot be formulated
Utilitarian
judgements regarding the ethics of a particular action depend on the consequences of the action
Researchers’ Two Obligations
- To provide information that enhances our understanding of behavioral process and leads to improvement of human or animal welfare
- To protect the rights and welfare of the human and nonhuman participants that they study
Cost-Benefit Analysis
(potential benefits)
Basic knowledge (e.g., improve theory)
Improvement of research or assessment techniques (e.g., develop new scales)
Practical outcomes (e.g., solving problems)
Benefits for researchers (e.g., professional benefits)
Benefits for research participants (e.g., improve well-being/awareness/skills)
Cost-Benefit Analysis
(potential costs)
Time and effort of participants
Participants’ mental and physical welfare
Money
Deception; creation of climate of distrust
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Members are from both scientific and nonscientific disciplines – at least one member must be from the community
Researchers submit a written proposal describing the purpose, procedures, and potential risks of the study
IRB must approve the proposal before the study may be conducted
Informed Consent
Inform participants of the nature of their participation in the study and obtain their explicit agreement to participate
Problems with obtaining informed consent:
Compromising the validity of the study
Participants who are unable to give informed consent
Ludicrous cases of informed consent
Elements of an Informed Consent Form
- Description of why the study is being conducted
- List of activities that participant will do
- Description of possible risks
- Statement informing participants that they may refuse to participate with no penalty
- Confidentiality statement
- Instructions on how to contact the researcher
- Signature lines of the researcher and the participant
Coercion to Participate
Occurs when participants agree to participate in a research study because of real or implied pressure from some individual who has authority or influence over them
Supervisors, teachers, physicians, managers, and others with ha position of authority should not recruit their subordinates for their research projects
Mental and Physical Stress
The focus of a study may require participants to experience pain, stress, failure, anxiety, or other negative emotions
minimal risk
Any use of more than minimal risk requires strong justification
minimal risk
risk that is no greater in probability and severity than that ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations of tests
Deception
misleading or lying to participants for research purposes
Types of deception
- Presenting participants with a false purpose of the study
- Using an experimental confederate who poses as another participant or bystander
- Providing false feedback to participants
- Presenting two related studies as unrelated
- Giving incorrect information regarding stimulus materials
Objections to Deception
Ethical objection
Pragmatic objection
Researchers are not justified in deceiving participants about aspects of the study that might affect their willingness to participate
Ethical objection
lying and deceit are immoral
Pragmatic objection
research participants may enter studies suspicious of what the researcher tells them; participants may come to distrust scientists and the research process
Goals of Debriefing
- Clarify the nature of the study for participants
- Remove stress or other negative consequences induced by the study
- Obtain participants’ reactions to the study itself
- Give participants they sense that their participation was important
Confidentiality
(slide)
Participants have they right to decide when, where, to whom, and to what extent his or her responses will be revealed
confidentiality
The easiest way to maintain confidentiality is to ensure that participants’ responses are anonymous
Confidentiality
a participant’s data may be used only for purposes of the research and may not be divulged to others
Ethical Principles in Research with Animals
Research involving non-human animals must be monitored by a person who is experienced in the care and use of laboratory animals and a veterinarian must be available for consultation
Animals must be housed under healthy and humane conditions
Experimental procedures must minimize discomfort
All students working with nonhuman animals must follow all guidelines
