Title: Lecture 2 Ethics in Psychological Research
1Lecture 2 Ethics in Psychological Research
2Outline
- Psychologists have a special responsibility to
behave ethically towards others - There are no special individuals who know best
how to behave ethically - Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
3Psychologists special responsibility
- We study people not things.
- Mental states are properly private, except where
licence is given for intervention.
- Harm may be done by such intervention, so special
care is warranted.
4There are no special individuals who know best
how to behave ethically
- There are no special people who know better
than the rest of us how to behave ethically
- No religious figures, no philosophers, no
politicians or professors
5There are no special individuals who know best
how to behave ethically
- How would you become such a person?
- If someone tells you that they have special
knowledge of how to behave ethically, why should
you believe them?
6There are no special individuals who know best
how to behave ethically
- But thats alright, because you dont have to be
special to be ethical. - Ordinary people like us are ethical
- As ordinary people, scientists depend upon each
other, upon the science community, for guidance - Being scientists, weve turned this into a
process
7Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Oversight
- Risk vs. benefit
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Deception
- Debriefing
- Using animals
- Reporting
8Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Note these guidelines are useful but not
foolproof
- Final responsibility for any research project
always rests with the investigator
9Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Oversight
- Risk vs. benefit
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Deception
- Debriefing
- Using animals
- Reporting
10Oversight
- The most important concept in our study of ethics
is oversight
- Oversight means telling someone what you plan to
do and getting their opinion before you do it
11Oversight
- Question should oversight be objective, or
informed?
- Can it be both?
- Who is likely to be informed?
- How likely are they to be objective?
12Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Oversight
- Risk vs. benefit
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Deception
- Debriefing
- Using animals
- Reporting
13Risk vs. benefit
- Who takes the risks of a research study?
- What is acceptable risk?
- Acceptable to whom?
14Risk vs. benefit
- How do we assess the benefits?
- Significance
- Immediacy
- Probability
15Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Oversight
- Risk vs. benefit
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Deception
- Debriefing
- Using animals
- Reporting
16Informed consent
- Various totalitarian states conducted brutal
research on prisoners in the 20th century. - We dont do that.
- Human participants are volunteers.
- All of them.
- Always.
17Informed consent
- Information
- Explain rights and recourse
- Be clear about risks
- Be sure you are understood
- Consent
- Must be genuine
- Do not lie about things that would affect
willingness to participate - Do not offer significant inducements
18Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Oversight
- Risk vs. benefit
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Deception
- Debriefing
- Using animals
- Reporting
19Privacy
- Sensitivity of the information
- Degree of dissemination?
- Is the setting for observation public or private?
20Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Oversight
- Risk vs. benefit
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Deception
- Debriefing
- Using animals
- Reporting
21Deception
- Technical illusion
- Deception is not always bad e.g., surprise
party special effects in movies - Suspension of a general moral principle for a
public purpose
22Milgrams argument my view
- He makes a sensible case that deception is not
always wrong - Milgram also offers a reasoned statement of the
potential benefits of research involving
deception
- But decide for yourself
- Milgram, S. (1988). Can deception in
psychological research be justified? Yes. In
Rubenstein Slife (Eds.) Taking Sides. Guilford,
CT., Dushkin
23Deception
- Interference with informed consent
- Cost to profession
- Deception teaches people to distrust
psychologists
24Baumrind 3 arguments against deception
- (a) the right of self-determination within the
law, which translates in the research setting to
the right of informed consent (b) the obligation
of a fiduciary (in this case, the researcher) to
protect the welfare of the beneficiary (in this
case, the subject) and (c) the obligation,
particularly of a fiduciary, to be trustworthy in
order to provide sufficient social stability to
facilitate self-determined agentic behavior.
(1985, p. 167)
25Baumrinds argument my view
- Overstates potential harm to the subject
- Overstates potential harm to the profession
- Understates potential benefits from research
- But decide for yourself
- Baumrind, D. (1985). Research using intentional
deception. American Psychologist, 40 (2), 165-174.
26Deception general view
- Is deception justified by prospective value of
result? - Is there any other way to get the data?
- Never deceive about anything that would affect
willingness to participate in the study - Clear up deception at earliest possible moment
27Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Oversight
- Risk vs. benefit
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Deception
- Debriefing
- Using animals
- Reporting
28Debriefing
- Discuss the study with the participant after
their participation - Their insights may be useful
- Public relations value for the profession we
could use it.
29Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Oversight
- Risk vs. benefit
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Deception
- Debriefing
- Using animals
- Reporting
30Using animals
- Be humane
- Be competent
- Know the literature
- Know procedures
- Minimize pain, stress
- Use anesthesia
- Kill humanely
31Ethical research follows from openness and some
simple guidelines
- Oversight
- Risk vs. benefit
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Deception
- Debriefing
- Using animals
- Reporting
32Reporting
- Dont plagiarize
- Dont falsify data
- Give credit where its due
- Share data when asked
- Maximize societys return on its investment in
your work - Publicize, share, be competent
33Review
- There are no special people who know best how to
be ethical - We depend upon each other
- Oversight is very important
- Human subjects are always volunteers
- They give informed consent
- They share risks and benefits