CHAPTER 3 ETHICAL RESEARCH
MILGRAM’S OBEDIENCE EXPERIMENT Study of the phenomenon of obedience to an authority figure Examined the effects of punishment on learning (Shock treatment for mistakes)
MILGRAM’S OBEDIENCE EXPERIMENT Results challenged beliefs about our ability to resist authority Important for understanding obedience in real life situations, e.g. the Holocaust
BELMONT REPORT The Belmont Report (1979): Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research Beneficence : the doing of good Autonomy (respect for persons) : freedom of will Justice: being righteous and equitable
Beneficence ASSESSMENTS OF RISKS AND BENEFITS Risks in Psychological Research Physical harm Stress Loss of privacy and confidentiality
Beneficence ASSESSMENTS OF RISKS AND BENEFITS Potential benefits of Psychological Research Educational benefits, new skill, or treatment for a psychological or medical condition Material benefits Personal satisfaction
Autonomy: INFORMED CONSENT Informed Consent Form Must have all the info Written in plain language Autonomy Issues Minors – mental disabilities – psychiatric pop’ns – coercive situations
Autonomy: INFORMED CONSENT Information Issues: Withholding Information and Deception Impractical to get informed consent for all studies Deception: Active misrepresentation of information Is deception necessary?
Autonomy: INFORMED CONSENT Is Deception a Major Ethical Problem in Psychological Research? Use of deception decreasing over the years
THE IMPORTANCE OF DEBRIEFING Debriefing Opportunity for the researcher to deal with issues of withholding information, deception, and potential harmful effects of the participation Explain why deception was necessary Provide additional resources, if necessary Make sure participant leaves the experiment without any ill feelings towards the field of psychology
IMPORTANCE OF DEBRIEFING Positive aspects of debriefing: Provides an opportunity to explain the purpose of the study and anticipated results Most participants report positive experience Research suggests that it is effective