EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Alla Chavarga Tuesdays 9:00-11:20am 2412J or 6:10-8:30pm 432-IA Email: alla.chavarga@gmail.com LABS: MW 6:10-9:45pm 3106J Kravitz  MW 6:10-9:45pm 4109J Ergun  TR 11:30-3:05pm 3106J Fein  TR 11:30-3:05pm 4109J Hazan

Ethics in Research CHAPTER 7 Lecture Outline Some questionable practices; What is Ethics? Origins of the APA Code of Ethics Principles of the APA Code of Ethics; The Institutional Review Board Research with animals Scientific fraud

Questionable practices in Psychology research WHAT IS ETHICS Questionable practices in Psychology research Watson & Rayner (1920) Little Albert Landis (1924) Rat Beheading Ethics – a set of standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession

DEVELOPING THE APA CODE OF ETHICS Late 30’s APA: the critical incidents technique. (Hobbs Committee) Nuremberg code (1949) First APA code of ethics (1953) Declaration of Helsinki (1964) Belmont Report (1979) APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2017 amendments)

THE APA CODE OF ETHICS Code contains: General Principles APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx) Code contains: 5 general principles 10 standards of practice General Principles Beneficence and non-malfeasance Constantly weigh costs & benefits; protect from harm; produce greatest good Fidelity and responsibility Be professional; constantly be aware of responsibility to society Integrity Be scrupulously honest Justice Always treat people fairly Respect for peoples’ rights and dignity Safeguard individual rights; protect rights of privacy and confidentiality Guidelines for ethical behavior for the practice of research, clinical work, and teaching in psychology Applies to all of us in the field of psychology

RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION: Meeting ethical guidelines Identify potential risks Protect participants from physical and psychological harm Justify remaining risks Obtain informed consent Take care of participants after the study (debriefing)

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans JUDGING BENEFITS AND COSTS: In 1974, as part of the National Research Act, the federal government mandated that an IRB (Institutional Review Board) be in place for any college or university receiving federal funds for research. At least five people, including at least one scientist, one member of the outside community and a minimum of one nonscientist. Determines whether the project meets ethical guidelines

Review levels: exempt expedited full review More than minimal risk Ex: interventions involving physical or emotional discomfort or sensitive data Review levels: exempt expedited full review Key factor: degree of risk to subjects FULL Continuing research Noninvasive collection Research using existing data with identifiable subjects EXPEDITED Less than minimal risk Public observation/ public data De-identified existing materials, anonymous surveys Research for educational purposes EXEMPT

Consent and Deception in Research Consent: sufficient information to decide whether to participate No consent needed in some circumstances. Some survey, educational, archival, and observational research. Philadelphia Immediate Transport in Penetrating Trauma Trial (PIPT) Study investigating the survival advantage of immediate transport to the hospital for patients with penetrating torso trauma Deception Rationale: desire to have subjects act naturally Milgram (1963) obedience study as an example Cover story  effect of punishment on learning Real purpose  limits of obedience to authority https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6GxIuljT3w

APA CODE OF ETHICS CONSENT Elements of consent: What to include on your consent form Study’s basic description (Enough information to decide whether to participate) How long participation will take May quit at any time Confidentiality and anonymity ensured Contact information given (researcher, IRB) Opportunity to obtain final results of the study Signatures CONSENT IS A PROCESS, NOT JUST A FORM

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans Historical example of poor consent Tuskegee syphilis study (1932-1972) aka Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male N=622 poor African American men; N=431 had Syphilis Told they had “bad blood”; given meals, vitamins 1940s Penicillin established as treatment for Syphilis MK-ULTRA (CIA & LSD) 1953 set of experiments conducted by the CIA to investigate mind-control Administered LSD to unwitting individuals; mostly military Consent with special populations Children assent also needed Children and other special groups (e.g., prisoners) Special care to avoid feelings of coercion

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans Research ethics and the Internet Problems with ensuring consent Problems with conducting effective debriefing Treating participants well Debriefing Dehoaxing Desensitizing Participant crosstalk Code allows partial debriefing followed by full report at completion of the study

RESEARCH WITH ANIMALS The issue of animal rights: animals can never consent Using animals in psychological research Aids both humans and animals Sometimes there is no alternative (tissue, simulation/computer model) Most research animals are sacrificed after use in a research study. Why? The APA Code for animal research / The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Justifying the study: Cost-benefit analysis, No plausible alternatives Caring for the animals e.g., expertise with species, upkeep of animal health Using animals for educational purposes

Plagiarism Data falsification SCIENTIFIC FRAUD Varying degrees (all unethical) Reasons Range from individual weakness to societal moral standards Publish or perish climate in academia