1. Ethics in Research Tristram Jones, Ph.D. PS512 Unit II

2. Behavioral research was not always the sweet, gentle discipline it is today! The Milgram experiment on obedience to authority figures was a series of social psychology experiments conducted by psychologist Stanley Milgram at Yale University in the early 1960s. which measured the willingness of study participants to obey an authority figure who instructed them to perform acts that conflicted with their personal conscience. The Milgram experiment on obedience to authority figures was a series of social psychology experiments conducted by psychologist Stanley Milgram at Yale University in the early 1960s. which measured the willingness of study participants to obey an authority figure who instructed them to perform acts that conflicted with their personal conscience.

3. The very roots of behavioral study seemed tainted with cruelty! John B Watson spent a good deal of 1920 scaring the heck out of a year-old baby named Little Albert at Johns Hopkins!

4. World War II worsened the scientific image as German scientists worked avidly for Hitler’s SS

5. Interest in what we today call ABA heightened during the Korean and Cold Wars

6. Undeniably, ABA is all about changing people in rather dramatic ways! Who decides what is acceptable as change? Who decides what is acceptable as change? Who decides who can manage this change? Who decides who can manage this change? What methods are ethical? What methods are ethical? How can we be sure the desired outcome is ethical? How can we be sure the desired outcome is ethical? What oversight exists? What oversight exists?

7. Ethical Considerations with Children What is a child? What is a child? Can children choose? Can children choose? Where should the change Where should the change take place? take place? Who decides what Who decides what modifications modifications will be attempted? will be attempted? Who decides that a child Who decides that a child should be changed? should be changed? SINGLE SUBJECT RESEARCHERS MUST CONSTANTLY ASK SUCH QUESTIONS!

8. Walker & Shea’s Guidelines: Explore alternatives before using aversive interventions. Explore alternatives before using aversive interventions. Consider possible side effects Consider possible side effects See that the subject understands the experiment See that the subject understands the experiment Empirical evidence should indicate the intervention will work Empirical evidence should indicate the intervention will work Informed consent must be obtained Informed consent must be obtained Committee review of all human subjects research Committee review of all human subjects research

9. Ethical “Musts” Rule out other possibilities before selective aversives! Rule out other possibilities before selective aversives! Consider potential side effects! Consider potential side effects! Interveners must be trained and familiar with the intervention. Interveners must be trained and familiar with the intervention. Empirical evidence should suggest that outcome will be favorable. Empirical evidence should suggest that outcome will be favorable. Informed consent should be acquired. Informed consent should be acquired. Committee review should occur! Committee review should occur!

10. Wolf Wolfensberger had a cool name, and a cool idea: In 1972 Wolf, came up with normalization (Social Role Valorization, or SRV). The idea that all individuals no matter how disabled should participate in society! In 1972 Wolf, came up with normalization (Social Role Valorization, or SRV). The idea that all individuals no matter how disabled should participate in society! He also came up with “Anti- Deathmaking.” He also came up with “Anti- Deathmaking.” VALORIZATION: a set of approaches designed to enable devalued people in society to experience the Good Life. Strategies were derived from practical experience and from what research revealed, to help devalued people achieve valued social roles.

11. Some additional terminology: THE PRINCIPLE OF NORMALIZATION: THE PRINCIPLE OF NORMALIZATION: Normalization calls for the acceptance of people with disabilities, offering them the same conditions as are offered to other citizens. It involves an awareness of the normal rhythm of life – including the normal rhythm of a day, a week, a year, and the life-cycle itself. It involves the normal conditions of life – housing, schooling, employment, exercise, recreation and freedom of choice. This includes “the dignity of risk”, rather than an emphasis on “protection”. Normalization calls for the acceptance of people with disabilities, offering them the same conditions as are offered to other citizens. It involves an awareness of the normal rhythm of life – including the normal rhythm of a day, a week, a year, and the life-cycle itself. It involves the normal conditions of life – housing, schooling, employment, exercise, recreation and freedom of choice. This includes “the dignity of risk”, rather than an emphasis on “protection”.

12. Essentially this is the doctrine of “the least restrictive environment”

13. Social Validity is a trendy term meaning the conditions of your intervention are acceptable and the targeted behavior is acceptable to change. Ever since you removed my brain my friends avoid me! Yes, but you no longer STAMMER!

14. And then, of course, there is “ EMPIRICAL VALIDITY!” Comrades, are you certain this behavioral intervention will positively affect my loyalty??? Empirical validity (also called statistical or predictive validity) describes how closely scores on a test correspond (correlate) with behavior as measured in other contexts.

15. Empirical Validity; Predictive Validity & Other terms Validity is the answer to the question "what does this test measure or predict, and how good is it at doing so?" This answer lies in two groups of correlations with concepts outside the test: Validity is the answer to the question "what does this test measure or predict, and how good is it at doing so?" This answer lies in two groups of correlations with concepts outside the test: Correlations with other tests; Correlations with other tests; Correlations with real-life measures like educational level, job performance, age, sex and so on. Correlations with real-life measures like educational level, job performance, age, sex and so on.

16. RELIABILITY Reliability is the answer to the question "if it were possible to take this test again, without any learning effect between the two test administrations, would I then get the same score?". Reliability can also be understood as the correlation between two hypothetical very similar versions of a test. Reliability is the answer to the question "if it were possible to take this test again, without any learning effect between the two test administrations, would I then get the same score?". Reliability can also be understood as the correlation between two hypothetical very similar versions of a test.

17. Reliability & Robustness Reliability is the answer to the question "if it were possible to take this test again, would I then get the same score?“ The degree to which the instrument consistently renders the same result. Reliability is the answer to the question "if it were possible to take this test again, would I then get the same score?“ The degree to which the instrument consistently renders the same result. Robustness is a test's resistance to score inflation through whatever cause; fraud, answer leakage, increasing quality of research materials like the Internet, unauthorized publication and so on. Robustness is a test's resistance to score inflation through whatever cause; fraud, answer leakage, increasing quality of research materials like the Internet, unauthorized publication and so on.

18. How would these concepts apply differently in these settings? SCHOOLS? SCHOOLS? WORK SETTINGS? WORK SETTINGS? CLINCAL SETTINGS? CLINCAL SETTINGS?