1. Ethics in Research

2. Participating in Research
How would you have felt if you participated in Dr. Venkman’s study?
Should there be guidelines for the appropriate behavior of psychologists?

3. Ethical Guidelines Ethics – people should be treated as ends not means
Designed to protect the rights of human and animals
APA ethics code
“…it has as its goals the welfare and protection of the individuals and groups with whom the psychologists work…”

4. Ethics Used during all steps of research Measurement
Participant selection
Research strategies & designs
Treatment of Participants
Data analysis
Reporting results

5. Ethical Responsibilities
Researcher responsibilities
to science
to society
to students of psychology
participants
Examples of unethical behaviors
fabrication of results
harming participants

6. Ethical Issues No harm Psychological or physical
If P is harmed, benefit > cost
e.g., an effective treatment with side effects

7. Ethical Issues Informed Consent Information about study
Risks and benefits
Voluntary
No coercion
Withdraw at any time

8. Ethical Issues Consent Form Consent – competent Ps
Ps sign to verify understanding
Consent – competent Ps
Assent – incompetent Ps guardians
e.g., developmentally disabled people

9. Ethical Issues Deception Two Types
Ps do not know true purpose of research
Two Types
Passive – information is left out
e.g., no knowledge of memory test

10. Ethical Issues Active – information is inaccurate
e.g., cover story
Confederate - E role-plays.
e.g., another P, a random bystander

11. Ethical Issues Debriefing
Purpose of study is explained to Ps upon completion
Reduces harmful effects of deception

12. Thought Questions When is it acceptable to use deception in research?
When is it unethical to use deception in research?
Does debriefing reduce the harmful effects of deception?

13. Ethical Issues Confidentiality Anonymity
Ps information will be kept secret
e.g., memory, opinions, sexual orientation, etc.
Anonymity
Ps name is not associated with data
e.g., Ps are assigned a number

14. Protection of Human Rights - IRB
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Committee who approves research proposals
IRB Forms

15. Protection of Human Rights - IRB
IRB Criteria
Minimize risk
Benefits > Risks
Equal opportunity sampling
Informed consent
Documentation of consent
Data monitoring
Privacy & Confidentiality

16. Animal Rights Why do we use animals? To understand animals
To understand humans
To conduct research that cannot be conducted on humans

17. Animal Rights Animals used in research have rights
Food and shelter
Benefits > Costs
IACUC – Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
Protects the rights of animals
Approves research proposals involving animals
Forms

18. Scientific Integrity Two issues: Fraud & Plagiarism
Fraud – a conscious misrepresentation of data by a researcher
Why?
Used to attain publications

19. Scientific Integrity Fraud prevention
Replication – repeat a research study to validate results
Peer Review – critical analysis of research by peers in the same area

20. Scientific Integrity
Plagiarism – taking credit for another’s work or ideas
Avoided by citing the ideas or words of others

21. Application How can you use these ethical guidelines in this class?
Why does understanding how to behave ethically benefit your future careers?
How could Dr. Venkman have altered his behavior to meet ethical guidelines?