1 Sample ethical human research protection issues (Fall 2009) Header image designed by Michelle Jordan, UMBC Creative Services, 2009

2 Sample Ethical Issues (Internet, information systems, computer science) Freedom from harm Privacy Voluntary participation  Recruitment  Research with on-line communities  Research with children  Online identity  Obtaining consent  Protection/confidentiality of data

3 Sample Ethical Issues ( Undergraduate research) A Test of Anxiety adapted from: Volunteers to study task performance under conditions of great anxiety Students in Intro to Psyc are required to participate in 5 hours of experiments during the term – minimum of 1 credit hour for any experiment This experiment would last 15 minutes; volunteers will receive a full 1 hour credit for the 15 minutes of participation – 20 volunteers Volunteers reminded they could stop participating at any time, but would not receive credit Sat on stage facing class – participants and indicators lights visible to class Apparatus connected to skin via electrodes and BP cuff to measure sexually deviant response – participants and audience were told a red light would flash to measure a sexual response Complete standard test on computer screen that required concentration – during the 10 minutes to complete task, pictures (flowers, animals, attractive individuals of both genders) flash on participant’s screen and on large screen facing class But the “sexual response” light was controlled by a computer program that illuminated randomly when pictures appeared on participant’s and audiences screens Teaching assistants sat in audience, were told to laugh when the red light flashed and encouraged audience to laugh as well

4 Sample Ethical Issues (Undergraduate research) Freedom from harm Privacy Voluntary participation A Test of Anxiety Issues with coercion? Fully informed in the consent process? Protection from harm?

5 Sample Ethical Issues Sample #1 A researcher wants to collect information from residents of a nursing home for the elderly. The investigator planned on getting informed consent (providing full explanation about the research) and, by the way of thanking them, was planning on giving the participants a piece of candy. Freedom from harm Privacy Voluntary participation

6 Sample Ethical Issues  Sample #2 In a study involving middle management employees at a large firm, a researcher collected information on drug abuse and financial difficulties, along with employment histories and demographic information such as race, age and sex. No names were used in the final report, but it was possible to deduce from table of summary statistics that a particular employee was a cocaine addict who was about to lose his home because of financial problems. Freedom from harm Privacy Voluntary participation

7 Sample Ethical Issues Sample #3 An investigator wants to recruit participants for a research project and informs them that information collection is anonymous. The investigator then asked a set of demographic questions that taken together, would make the identity of the respondent no longer anonymous. Freedom from harm Privacy Voluntary participation

8 Sample Ethical Issues Sample #4 A graduate student investigator compared cocaine use in college freshman and seniors. Because she may want to re-interview some subjects later, she plans to write their names and phone numbers on their data sheets. She plans to promise confidentiality, so that subjects trust her, and to keep the data in her dorm room in a locked file. Freedom from harm Privacy Voluntary participation

9 Sample Ethical Issues Sample #5 A researcher studied attitudes concerning morality and asked questions, such as whether subjects had cheated on their income taxes, used illegal drugs, had extramarital affairs, or filched supplies from their employers. He also gathered data on the attitudes these persons had expressed at an adult fellowship meeting at their church. He entered each data set into a mainframe computer file, identifying subjects by number. In a separate computer file on that mainframe computer, he kept a linkage of names and numbers. Freedom from harm Privacy Voluntary participation

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