Ethics in Research

Participating in Research How would you have felt if you participated in Dr. Venkman’s study? Participating in Research

History of Ethics 1947 – Nuremberg Code Developed post WWII in response to the inhumane research performed by Nazi doctors on prisoners 1st attempt to develop guidelines for research with human participants History of Ethics

Nuremberg Code Guidelines Participation is voluntary Subjects must be informed Research must address important questions Avoid unnecessary harm Benefits > Risks Researchers must be qualified Ability to withdraw Research must be discontinued if it is harmful Nuremberg Code

APA Guide 1953 Based on the Nuremberg Code Psychologist held to standards Guidelines Informed Consent Deception Risks vs. Benefits Confidentiality APA Guide 1953

Ethical Guidelines Ethics – people should be treated as ends not means Designed to protect the rights of human and animals APA ethics code www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html “…it has as its goals the welfare and protection of the individuals and groups with whom the psychologists work…” Ethical Guidelines

Ethical Responsibilities Researcher responsibilities to science to participants Examples of unethical behaviors fabrication of results harming participants Ethical Responsibilities

Ethical Issues No harm Psychological or physical If P is harmed, benefit > cost e.g., an effective treatment with side effects Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues Informed Consent Information about study Risks and benefits Voluntary No coercion Withdraw at any time Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues Consent Form Consent – competent Ps Ps sign to verify understanding Consent – competent Ps Assent – incompetent Ps guardians e.g., developmentally disabled people Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues Deception Two Types Ps do not know true purpose of research Two Types Passive – information is left out e.g., no knowledge of memory test Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues Active – information is inaccurate e.g., cover story Milgram (1965) Confederate - role-plays. Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues Debriefing Purpose of study is explained to Ps upon completion Reduces harmful effects of deception Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues Confidentiality Anonymity Ps information will be kept secret e.g., memory, opinions, sexual orientation, etc. Anonymity Ps name is not associated with data e.g., Ps are assigned a number Ethical Issues

Protection of Human Rights - IRB Institutional Review Board (IRB) Committee who approves research proposals IRB Forms http://www.psychology.ilstu.edu/research/researchers.html Protection of Human Rights - IRB

Protection of Human Rights - IRB IRB Criteria Minimize risk Benefits > Risks Equal opportunity sampling Informed consent Documentation of consent Data monitoring Privacy & Confidentiality Protection of Human Rights - IRB

Animal Rights Why do we use animals? To understand animals To understand humans To conduct research that cannot be conducted on humans Animal Rights

Overseen by a separate committee at many institutions ISU has the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Different Guidelines for animal subjects Research with Animals

Research with Animals Justification Justify the use of animals Justify the benefits of the study Justify the use of a particular species Research with Animals

Research with Animals Care and Treatment Only trained researchers can handle animals Animals must be kept in good health Housing must meet federal guidelines Degarmo’s lost animal colony Research with Animals

Research with Animals Acquisition of Animals Must be bred humanely OR Must be obtained from others who obtianed or bred the animals humanely Research with Animals

Research with Animals Procedures during study Minimize discomfort of animals Greater discomfort = Greater need for justification Surgical procedures must be carefully overseen Animals raised in the lab cannot be released into the wild Research with Animals

Scientific Integrity Two issues: Fraud & Plagiarism Fraud – a conscious misrepresentation of data by a researcher Plagiarism – taking credit for another’s work or ideas Why fraud – to obtain publications Fraud prevention Replication – repeat a research study to validate results Peer Review – critical analysis of research by peers in the same area Plagiarism - Avoided by citing the ideas or words of others Scientific Integrity