Why do research ethics matter? Helen C. Harton Department of Psychology
What is ethical research? Nuremberg Code Nuremberg Code Belmont Report Belmont Report Office for Human Research Protection Office for Human Research Protection American Psychological Association guidelines American Psychological Association guidelines
Our enemies do unethical things. German war crimes German war crimes Japanese war crimes Japanese war crimes Mengele’s research on twins Altitude experiments at Dachau Japanese live autopsies
Our own govt. does unethical things. Tuskegee study Tuskegee study Human radiation experiments Human radiation experiments
Medical people do unethical things. Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital Willowbrook study Willowbrook study
Social scientists do unethical things. Milgram study (1961) Milgram study (1961) Zimbardo (1971) study Zimbardo (1971) study
Might I do unethical things? When is it okay to observe? When is it okay to observe? Do I really need consent? Do I really need consent? This wouldn’t really bother anyone, would it? This wouldn’t really bother anyone, would it? My students wouldn’t feel pressured to be in my study, would they? My students wouldn’t feel pressured to be in my study, would they?
Summary Research ethics are not clearly black and white, and even reasonable people need to get feedback from those not involved in the study as to whether something is “okay” or not. Research ethics are not clearly black and white, and even reasonable people need to get feedback from those not involved in the study as to whether something is “okay” or not.