CHAPTER 2 Ethics in Psychological Research

Questionable Practices Watson & Rayner (1920) Little Albert Landis (1924) Rat Beheading Ethics – a set of standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession

Developing the APA Code of Ethics Late 30’s: An empirical approach to forming the code was utilized; the critical incidents technique. (Hobbs Committee) Nuremberg code (1949) First APA code of ethics (1953) Declaration of Helsinki (1964) Belmont Report (1979) APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2017 amendments)

Developing the APA Code of Ethics Guidelines for ethical behavior for the practice of research, clinical work, and teaching in psychology Applies to all of us in the field of psychology Code contains: 5 general principles 10 standards of practice http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct General Principles Beneficence and non-malfeasance Constantly weigh costs & benefits; protect from harm; produce greatest good Fidelity and responsibility Be professional; constantly be aware of responsibility to society Integrity Be scrupulously honest Justice Always treat people fairly Respect for peoples’ rights and dignity Safeguard individual rights; protect rights of privacy and confidentiality

Research and Publication Identify potential risks Protect participants from physical and psychological harm Justify remaining risks Obtain informed consent Take care of participants after the study (debriefing)

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans Judging benefits and costs: the IRB : In 1974, as part of the National Research Act, the federal government mandated that IRBs be in place for any college or university receiving federal funds for research. (IRB = Institutional Review Board) At least five people, including at least one scientist, one member of the outside community and a minimum of one nonscientist. Determines whether the project meets ethical guidelines Some research is exempt; expedited; full review Key factor: degree of risk to subjects

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans Informed consent and deception in research Consent: sufficient information to decide whether to participate Deception rationale Desire to have subjects act naturally Milgram (1963) obedience study as an example Cover story  effect of punishment on learning Real purpose  limits of obedience to authority No consent needed in some circumstances some survey, educational, archival, and observational research

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans Elements of consent: What to include on your consent form Study’s basic description Enough information to decide whether to participate How long participation will take May quit at any time Confidentiality and anonymity ensured Contact information given (researcher, IRB) Opportunity to obtain final results of the study Signatures CONSENT IS A PROCESS, NOT JUST A FORM

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans Historical example of poor consent Tuskegee syphilis study MK-ULTRA (CIA & LSD) Consent with special populations Children assent also needed Children and other special groups (e.g., prisoners) Special care to avoid feelings of coercion

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans Treating participants well Debriefing Dehoaxing Desensitizing Participant crosstalk Code allows partial debriefing followed by full report at completion of the study Research ethics and the Internet Problems with ensuring consent Problems with conducting effective debriefing

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Animals The issue of animal rights Using animals in psychological research Aids both humans and animals Sometimes there is no alternative (tissue, simulation/computer model) The APA Code for animal research / The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Justifying the study Cost-benefit analysis No plausible alternatives Caring for the animals e.g., expertise with species, upkeep of animal health Using animals for educational purposes

Scientific Fraud Plagiarism Data falsification Varying degrees (all unethical) Reasons Range from individual weakness to societal moral standards Publish or perish climate in academia

Summary As psychological researchers, we adhere to a Code of Ethics regarding research with humans and animals. The APA code and IRBs help guide our decisions and actions in conducting research ethically, responsibly, and with integrity.