METHODS IN BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH NINTH EDITION PAUL C. COZBY Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 3 ETHICAL RESEARCH

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Summarize Milgram’s obedience experiment Discuss the three ethical principles outlined in the Belmont Report: beneficence, autonomy, and justice List the information contained in an informed consent form

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Discuss potential problems obtaining informed consent Describe the purpose of debriefing research participants Summarize alternatives to using deception in research, including role-playing, simulation studies, and honest experiments

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Describe the function of an Institutional Review Board Contrast the categories of risk involved in research activities: exempt, minimal risk, and greater than minimal risk Summarize the ethical principles in the APA ethics code concerning research with human participants

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Summarize the ethical principles in the APA ethics code concerning research with animals Discuss how potential risks and benefits of research are evaluated Discuss the ethical issue surrounding misrepresentation of research findings

MILGRAM’S OBEDIENCE EXPERIMENT Study of the phenomenon of obedience to an authority figure Examined the effects of punishment on learning (Shock treatment for mistakes) Results challenged beliefs about our ability to resist authority Important for understanding obedience in real life situations, e.g. the Holocaust

BELMONT REPORT The Belmont Report (1979): Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research Beneficence Autonomy (respect for persons) Justice

ASSESSMENTS OF RISKS AND BENEFITS Risks in Psychological Research Physical harm Stress Loss of privacy and confidentiality

ASSESSMENTS OF RISKS AND BENEFITS Potential benefits of Psychological Research Educational benefits, new skill, or treatment for a psychological or medical condition Material benefits Personal satisfaction

INFORMED CONSENT Informed Consent Form Autonomy Issues Information Issues: Withholding Information and Deception Is Deception a Major Ethical Problem in Psychological Research?

THE IMPORTANCE OF DEBRIEFING Debriefing Opportunity for the researcher to deal with issues of withholding information, deception, and potential harmful effects of the participation Explain why deception was necessary Provide additional resources, if necessary Make sure participant leaves the experiment without any ill feelings towards the field of psychology

IMPORTANCE OF DEBRIEFING Positive aspects of debriefing: Provides an opportunity to explain the purpose of the study and anticipated results Most participants report positive experience Research suggests that it is effective

ALTERNATIVES OF DECEPTION Role-Playing Asks participants how they would respond to a certain situation or to predict how others would respond Simulation Studies Variation on role-playing that involves simulation of a real world situation Honest Experiments Participants are made completely aware of the purposes of the research

JUSTICE AND THE SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS Tuskegee Syphilis Study ( ) Justice principle requires researchers to address issues of equity Any decisions to include or exclude certain people from a study must be justified on scientific grounds

RESEARCHER COMMITMENTS “Contracts” with Participants Punctuality Summary of Details to Participant Course Credit Details that Maintain Trust Between Participants and Researchers

FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND THE INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD Exempt Research Research in which there is no risk of harm Minimal Risk Research When the risk of harm is no greater that risk encountered in daily life or routine physical or psychological tests Greater Than Minimal Risk Research

FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND THE INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD IRB Impact on Research Increased time for approval of study Submissions often need to be revised or clarified Very cautious around approval

APA ETHICS CODE 5 General Principles Beneficence Responsibility Integrity Justice Respect for the rights and dignity of others

APA ETHICS CODE Ten Ethical Standards Address Specific Issues Concerning: Conduct of psychologists in teaching Research Therapy Counseling Testing Professional roles and responsibilities

RESEARCH WITH HUMAN PARTICIPANTS 8.01 Institutional Approval 8.02 Informed Consent to Research 8.03 Informed Consent for Recording Voices and Images in Research 8.04 Client/Patient, Student, and Subordinate Research Participants

RESEARCH WITH HUMAN PARTICIPANTS 8.05 Dispensing with Informed Consent for Research 8.06 Offering Inducements for Research Participation 8.07 Deception in Research 8.08 Debriefing

ETHICS AND ANIMAL RESEARCH 8.09 Humane Care and Use of Animals in Research APA has developed a more detailed Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in the Care and Use of Animals (American Psychological Association, 2002b)

MISREPRESENTATION 8.10 Reporting Research Results 8.11 Plagiarism