Ethics in Research

1
Ethics in Research
2
Little Albert
3
Little Albert

1. Why was this experiment performed?
2. What was the result(s) of the experiment?
3. What was the ethical dilemma in this experiment?
4. Should this experiment be performed today?

4
The Monster Study

• In 1939- orphans in state care
• were tormented for six months by University
  researchers.
• The study was testing the theory that children
  develop speech impediments because of
  psychological pressure.
• Over a period of six months, Dr Wendell Johnson,
  a pioneer in speech pathology, tested his theory
  on 22 children from the Iowa Soldiers' Orphans'
  Home.
• Some were subjected to prolonged harassment,
  while the remainder were used as a control group.
  
• None of the children became stutterers but some
  became self-conscious and reluctant to speak,
  according to the study.

5
The Monster Study

1. Why was this experiment performed?
2. What was the result(s) of the experiment?
3. What was the ethical dilemma in this experiment?
4. Should this experiment be performed today?

6
Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment
7
Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment

• Why was this experiment performed?
• What was the result(s) of the experiment?
• What was the ethical dilemma in this experiment?
• Should this experiment be performed today?

8
The Milgram Shock Experiment
9
The Milgram Shock Experiment

• Why was this experiment performed?
• What was the result(s) of the experiment?
• What was the ethical dilemma in this experiment?
• Should this experiment be performed today?

10
Stanford Prison Experiment

• 1971
• Twenty-four undergraduates were selected out of
  70 to play the roles of both guards and prisoners
  and live in a mock prison in the basement of the
  Stanford psychology building.
• Those selected were chosen for their lack of
  psychological issues, crime history, and medical
  disabilities, in order to obtain a representative
  sample.
• Roles were assigned based on a coin toss.

11
Stanford Prison Experiment

1. Why was this experiment performed?
2. What was the result(s) of the experiment?
3. What was the ethical dilemma in this experiment?
4. Should this experiment be performed today?

12
Informed Consent