1. Ethics in Social Psychology
(Adapted from UW Human Subjects Division Slides)

2. Ethics Overview What is the Institutional Review Board
Why do we need it (history)
What is the process of getting a research study approved
Conducting ethical research
Quick activity

3. Institutional Review Board
Ensure safe and ethical research with people
Protect the welfare and rights of subjects
IRB has the authority to:
Approve studies
Require modifications
Disapprove studies

4. Institutional Review Board Committee
Federal level – need 5 members
UW – has 9 members
1 Scientist
1 Non-affiliated/community member
1 Non-scientist
1 Student (UW)
Other members with expertise to review research

5. What do IRB committees look for?
Risk of harm versus potential benefits of study
Protecting subject’s privacy and confidentiality (recruitment and data management)
Consent process
Why?

6. Lessons from Biomedical Research
Tuskegee Syphilis Study ( )
Nazi War Crimes

7. Behavioral research – just as culpable?
Zimbardo Stanford Prison Study
Milgram Study

8. Behavioral research – just as culpable?
Foulks (1979) – Alcoholism in Barrow, Alaska
Small community
NYT published article “Alcohol plagues Eskimos”
Controversy over reinforcing drunken Alaskan Native stereotype and revealing identities

9. Belmont Report (1979) Basic Ethical Principles
Respect for persons (autonomy, protection of those with limited autonomy)
Beneficence (maximize benefits and minimize harm)
Justice (reasonable procedures that are administered fairly)

10. What is research? Are you doing research?
A systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.
2. Are you doing research with humans?
A living individual whom the investigator obtains data from interaction or identifiable private info.

11. Types of research and levels of review
Exempt – no or very little risk to subjects
Minimal risk – no more risk than encountered by the average person in his/her daily activities
Full review – more risk than would typically be encountered by average person in daily activities
Not human subjects research – e.g., for class, can’t publish

12. Parts of an IRB application
Purpose – what are you trying to find out?
Subjects – who will be involved in your study?
Procedures – what EXACTLY are you going to to do?
Data – where is it from? What is it? Who is it from? How it being collected? How is it kept?
Consent

13. Consent Explains the study in a manner understandable to subjects
Written in a 6th-8th grade level, with adjustments for children
In a language subjects can understand
Also what does participating or not participating mean for the subject
There’s also information sheets

14. Not just when collecting data: Also analyzing data and writing!
Examples
Plagiarism (e.g., M. Constantine in 2008)
Fabricating data (e.g., D. Stapel this year)
Unethical research affects integrity of the field

15. Conducting ethical research
Some principles
Honesty
Objectivity
Carefulness
Openness
Confidentiality
Responsible publication
Social responsibility

16. More info on research ethics
UW Forum on Science Ethics & Policy
UW Dept of Philosophy on Values in Society
UW Dept of Bioethics (School of Medicine)

17. Exam Information* Next Wednesday (1 hour) 25 Multiple Choice Questions
Lecture, reading, & assignments are fair game
Including study of the day and guest lecturers

18. Exam Information* What is social psychology all about?
Important terminology
Understanding and interpreting experimental findings and process
Many of the questions will be applications of what you have learned, not just memory
Read about the design of a novel experiment and identify variables or appropriate conclusions

19. Example
When following the scientific method, results of an experiment may lead to:
Proof of a theory
Increased confidence in a theory
Both A & B
Neither A nor B