1. Ethics in Research

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

3. 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

4. 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

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

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

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

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

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

10. 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

11. 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

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

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

14. 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

15. Protection of Human Rights - IRB
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Committee who approves research proposals
IRB Forms
Protection of Human Rights - IRB

16. 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

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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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