chapter 3

Question 1

what are ethics

Answer 1

• ethics are moral principles which govern decision making and behaviour
• what it means to behave morally and how people can achieve that goal

Question 2

utilitarianism

Answer 2

ethical behavior is behavior that promotes the greatest common goal

Question 3

altruism

Answer 3

ethical behaviour is behaviour that promotes helping others for no gain

Question 4

egosim

Answer 4

ethical behaviour is behaviour that promotes self interest

Question 5

why are ethics important

Answer 5

• promotes a variety of oral and societal values
• advances key aims of research itself
• ensures that researchers and funders are held accountable to the public

Question 6

researchers have a duty to value…

Answer 6

• human rights
• legal compliance to all levels
• safety
• researchers should be free from conflicts of interest
• following the TCPS-2 guidelines

Question 7

ethical research in Canada

Answer 7

• Tri-council policy statements 2nd Edition (TCPS-2)
  1. Canadian institutes of health and research (CIHR)
  2. Social sciences and humanities research council of canada (SSHRC)
  3. Natural sciences and engineering research council of canada (NSERC)

Question 8

tri-council policy statement

Answer 8

1. respect for persons
2. concern for participants welfare
3. justice

Question 9

respect for persons - TCPS-2

Answer 9

• right to autonomy
• right to informed consent: what the question is, why is the research important, what participation involves, what are the risks and benefits, etc
• deception: allowed if no other alternative is possible but must be acknowledged
• right to withdraw without prejudice
• protected populations: any group of individuals whose autonomy to decide for themselves is constrained

Question 10

secondary consent

Answer 10

do you still consent to your data being included in the study now that it’s done?

Question 11

concern for participants welfare - TCPS-2

Answer 11

• beneficence in america
• prevent physical, psychological and social harm; done by minimizing risk of harm

Question 12

justice - TCPS-2

Answer 12

• all participants are treated fairly
• equitable: equally shared benefits and risks

Question 13

the research ethics board (REB)

Answer 13

• each institution that receives federal funds must have an REB
• responsible for reviewing research at the institution
• REB approval must be obtained prior to starting research

Question 14

exempt research

Answer 14

• no risk
• employs publicly available information
• involves observing people in public places without any interaction/interference
• uses already collected data that are completely anonymous

Question 15

minimal risk research

Answer 15

• risk of harm is no greater than risk encountered in daily life or routine physical or psychological tests
• questionnaires or interviews on non-sensitive topics

Question 16

greater than minimal risk

Answer 16

• subjected to thorough review by the REB
• additional safeguards beyond informed consent such as counselling

Question 17

ethical reasons for using animal research

Answer 17

• full experimental control
• used for research not possible or ethically acceptable with humans
• procedures that are irreversible

Question 18

standards for ethical animal research

Answer 18

• proper handling and care of animals: species dependent lists of rules for handling; an animal should be kept in a optimal environment
• minimize pain and avoid cruelty

Question 19

Canadian council on animal care

Answer 19

• creates regulations for ethical care of animals
• 3 R’s of Animal Care
  1. replacement
  2. reduction
  3. refinement

Question 20

replacement - animal care

Answer 20

• where possible avoid using an animal model
• e.g. cosmetic industry shifting from animals to computer modelling

Question 21

reduction - animal care

Answer 21

minimize the number of animals used

Question 22

refinement- animal care

Answer 22

refining technique to minimize pain and distress

Question 23

animal care committee (ACC)

Answer 23

• oversees animal wellbeing: spot checks, and surprise inspections to determine if your handling and care is correct
• failing an inspection can result in losing the ability to use animals
• approves research like REB does

Question 24

general moral principles that apply to scientific research

Answer 24

1. weighing risks against benefits
2. acting responsibly and with integrity
3. seeking justice
4. respecting people rights and dignity

Question 25

weighing risks and benefits - moral principle

Answer 25

scientific research in psychology can be ethical only if its risks are outweighed by its benefits

Question 26

acting responsibly and with integrity - moral principle

Answer 26

- carrying out their research in a thorough and competent manner, meeting their professional obligations, and being truthful - acting with integrity is important because it promotes trust, which is an essential element of all effective human relationships

Question 27

seeking justice - moral principle

Answer 27

- researchers must conduct their research in a just manner - e.g. treat their participants fairly, for example, by giving them adequate compensation for their participation and making sure that benefits and risks are distributed across all participants

Question 28

respecting peoples rights and dignity - moral principle

Answer 28

- must respect people’s rights and dignity as human beings - respecting their autonomy, their right to make their own choices and take their own actions free from coercion, right to privacy, confidentiality and anonymity - importance of informed consent

Question 29

historical overview of ethics codes

Answer 29

1. nuremberg code 2. declaration of Helsinki 3. belmont report 4. federal policy for the protection of human subjects