Psychology and Ethics September 22 & 23

Bellringer (5-7 sentences in journal) What does the term “ethics” mean to you? What is ethical and what is not?

Today We learn the importance of conducting ETHICAL experiments, and look at the use of placebos in psychological research.

Tuskegee Study 1930’s, Alabama: US Public Health Services decides to observe the effects of untreated syphilis Participants were selected from hospitals around Alabama They were not told they were in an experiment, or even that they had syphilis Participants were denied penicillin, even though it was understood to be an effective treatment Type of research? What’s wrong with this study?

Deception These men were told they had “bad blood,” and they were offered free medical care and treatments. They didn’t receive any treatment for syphilis. Fake treatments (aspirin)

Note-taking time!.Ethics: moral expectations (doing what’s right) – We can’t beat up babies, kill things, or invade privacy when we conduct experiments. – We have to conduct ethical research.

Note-taking time! Informed consent: participants must agree to participate in your study. – They must understand that they are participating in an experiment and know what the experiment is about Participant Protection: respect, no stress, right to quit

Tuskegee Study - Informed Consent Many of the participants began to die because of the effects of untreated syphilis autopsies were performed by white doctors without permission from the deceased. “Word spread throughout Macon County that ‘government doctors’ were to provide free exams to start a new health program” – Would the RPs have given their consent if they had known the truth?

Tuskegee Study --Protection of Participants Their names were put onto lists given to local hospitals, and they were told not to treat the patients. They were just receiving aspirin or other ineffective means of treatment.

The Milgram Experiment (background) After WWII, Nazis were put on trial for slaughtering Jews in concentration camps. Many said that they should not be punished for their crimes because they were merely following orders. Many said they had no choice but to do what they were told. Good excuse? Does being ORDERED to do something HORRIBLE EXCUSE someone from the consequences?

The Milgram Experiment Is this experiment ethical? How can we make it ethical?

Ethics Practice – Little Albert In 1920, “Little Albert” was classically conditioned to fear a white rat, something he had no fear of before. They showed “Albert” the rat several times while clanging an iron bar behind his head. After a few repetitions of this, the sight of any white fur would make Albert cry. Little Albert was never de-conditioned of this fear, and would forever hold a deep fear of any type of furry, white animal, even fluffy white rabbits. What are the ethical issues raised here?

Ethically speaking, do our participants always have know what’s happening in our studies?

Placebos

What’s going on here? klYg klYg Are any of the treatments given in the video medically proven to do anything? Did the participants know what was going on?

Why did the people in the video experience relief from their symptoms?

The Placebo Effect The Placebo Effect: benefits caused by the BELIEF that a fake treatment works – MIND OVER MATTER

The Placebo Effect

Placebos in Experimentation Placebos are used in clinical drug trials all the time Does my new anxiety drug reduce levels of anxiety? Just being told that you are taking a pill to help cure anxiety WILL REDUCE ANXIETY. We need to give a placebo to make sure the medicine is working BEYOND the placebo effect. Anxiety Placebo New Drug Anxiety

Placebos in Experimentation Does my new anxiety drug reduce levels of anxiety? Anxiety = rating of anxiety on 10 point scale Did my drug work? Anxiety = 10 Placebo New Drug Placebo Anxiety = 7 Drug Anxiety = 7

Placebos in Experimentation What if I didn’t have a placebo? What’s the problem? Anxiety = 10 No Pill New Pill No Pill Anxiety = 10 Drug Anxiety = 7

Placebos in Experimentation Does my new anxiety drug reduce levels of anxiety? Anxiety = rating of anxiety on 10 point scale Did my drug work? Anxiety = 10 Placebo New Drug Placebo Anxiety = 7 Drug Anxiety =5

Placebos in Experimentation Does alcohol cause intoxicated behavior? Alcohol Placebo Intoxicated Behavior Just being told you are drinking alcohol, has an effect. So we need to control for that by giving the control group a placebo. Intoxicated Behavior

PARTNERS: Experiment Analysis What is wrong with my experiment? Redesign it correctly. Eating Big Macs Eating Whoppers Weight

PARTNERS: Experiment Analysis What is wrong with my experiment? Redesign it correctly New Depression Pill No Pill Depression Happiness

Exit Ticket A large group of monkeys and rats were trained to inject themselves with an assortment of drugs, including morphine, alcohol, codeine and cocaine. Once the animals were capable of self-injecting, they were left alone with a large supply of each drug. The animals were so disturbed that some tried so hard to escape that they broke their arms in the process. The monkeys taking cocaine suffered convulsions and in some cases tore off their own fingers (possible as a consequence of hallucinations), one monkey taking cocaine tore all of the fur from his arm and abdomen. – Ethical? Why or why not?