Lecture 2 – Ethics in Psychological Research

Outline 1.Psychologists have a special responsibility to behave ethically towards others 2.There are no special individuals who know best how to behave ethically 3.Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines

Psychologists’ special responsibility We study people – not things. Mental states are properly private, except where licence is given for intervention. Harm may be done by such intervention, so special care is warranted.

There are no special individuals who know best how to behave ethically There are no “special people” who know better than the rest of us how to behave ethically No religious figures, no philosophers, no politicians or professors

There are no special individuals who know best how to behave ethically How would you become such a person? Would someone train you? Who? How would you select such a person?

There are no special individuals who know best how to behave ethically If you are not an ethical person yourself, how would you be able to tell that someone else is? If someone tells you that they have special knowledge of how to behave ethically, why should you believe them?

There are no special individuals who know best how to behave ethically But that’s alright, because you don’t have to be special to be ethical. Ordinary people like us are ethical As ordinary people, scientists depend upon each other, upon the science community, for guidance Being scientists, we’ve turned this into a process

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Oversight Risk vs. benefit Informed consent Privacy Deception Debriefing Using animals Reporting

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Note – these guidelines are useful but not foolproof Final responsibility for any research project always rests with the investigator

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Oversight Risk vs. benefit Informed consent Privacy Deception Debriefing Using animals Reporting

Oversight The most important concept in our study of ethics is oversight Oversight means telling some people what you plan to do and getting their opinions before you do it

Oversight Question: should oversight be objective, or informed? Can it be both? Who is likely to be informed? How likely are they to be objective?

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Oversight Risk vs. benefit Informed consent Privacy Deception Debriefing Using animals Reporting

Risk vs. benefit Who takes the risks associated with research? What is “acceptable” risk? Acceptable to whom?

Risk vs. benefit Who gets the benefits? How do we assess the benefits? – Significance – Immediacy – Probability

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Oversight Risk vs. benefit Informed consent Privacy Deception Debriefing Using animals Reporting

Informed consent Various totalitarian states conducted brutal research on prisoners in the 20 th century. We don’t do that. Human participants are volunteers. All of them. Always.

Informed consent Consent – Must be genuine Do not lie about things that would affect willingness to participate Do not offer significant inducements

Informed consent Provide all the information a person needs to decide whether to participate  Explain the task  Explain rights and recourse Be clear about risks Be sure you are understood You do not need to explain the hypothesis

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Oversight Risk vs. benefit Informed consent Privacy Deception Debriefing Using animals Reporting

Privacy 3 major dimensions: Sensitivity of the information Degree of dissemination? Is the setting for observation public or private?

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Oversight Risk vs. benefit Informed consent Privacy Deception Debriefing Using animals Reporting

Deception Milgram: Technical illusion Deception is not always bad – e.g., surprise party; special effects in movies; Santa Claus Suspension of a general moral principle for a public purpose

Milgram’s argument – my view He makes a sensible case that deception is not always wrong Milgram also offers a reasoned statement of the potential benefits of research involving deception But decide for yourself: Milgram, S. (1988). Can deception in psychological research be justified? Yes. In Rubenstein & Slife (Eds.) Taking Sides. Guilford, CT., Dushkin

Deception Baumrind Deception interfers with informed consent Cost to profession Deception teaches people to distrust psychologists

Baumrind: 3 arguments against deception “(a) the right of self-determination within the law, which translates in the research setting to the right of informed consent; (b) the obligation of a fiduciary (in this case, the researcher) to protect the welfare of the beneficiary (in this case, the subject); and (c) the obligation, particularly of a fiduciary, to be trustworthy in order to provide sufficient social stability to facilitate self-determined agentic behavior.” (1985, p. 167)

Baumrind’s argument – my view Overstates potential harm to the subject Overstates potential harm to the profession Understates potential benefits from research But decide for yourself: Baumrind, D. (1985). Research using intentional deception. American Psychologist, 40 (2),

Deception – general view Is deception justified by prospective value of result? Is there any other way to get the data? Never deceive about anything that would affect willingness to participate in the study Clear up deception at earliest possible moment

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Oversight Risk vs. benefit Informed consent Privacy Deception Debriefing Using animals Reporting

Debriefing Discuss the study with the participant after their participation Their insights may be useful This is also a way of thanking them Public relations value for the profession – we could use it.

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Oversight Risk vs. benefit Informed consent Privacy Deception Debriefing Using animals Reporting

Using animals Be humane Be competent – Know the literature – Know procedures Minimize pain, stress Use anesthesia Kill humanely

Ethical research follows from openness and some simple guidelines… Oversight Risk vs. benefit Informed consent Privacy Deception Debriefing Using animals Reporting

Don’t plagiarize Don’t falsify data Give credit where it’s due Share data when asked Maximize society’s return on its investment in your work Publicize, share, be competent

Review There are no special people who know best how to be ethical We depend upon each other, but that’s OK because most people are ethical Oversight is very important

Review Human subjects are always volunteers They give informed consent They share risks and benefits