Chapter 2-Ethics in Research Flashcards
Ethical treatment of research participants, ethics and reporting of research results,
two major areas of ethical consideration
the treatment of participants and the use of the research results
how participants are treated depends on
regulations and laws, guidelines developed by psychologists and by the researchers own conscience
principles of the Nuremberg Code
participants must give voluntary consent, research should yield results for the good of society that could not be obtained by other means, and the experiments should be conducted in a way that avoids all unnecessary physical and mental suffering and injury.
Belmont Report 1979
Basic ethical principles that should guide human research: respect, beneficence and justice.
Respect:
people need to be treated as individuals who can make their own decisions about what will and won’t happen to them and those who cannot make those decisions for themselves need to be protected
Beneficence
humans should not be harmed and research should maximize benefits and minimize potential harm.
Justice
the selection of participants needs to be done fairly
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)
committees of individuals with diverse backgrounds who review proposals for research with human participants, may include faculty from other academic departments or members of the community.
Exemptions from IRBs
research that involves common educational practices and research in which the participants remain anonymous enough so that not even the researcher knows the identity of the participants.
Informed consent form/information and consent form
a document given to each participant prior to participation in the project which describes the purpose of the study and what the participant will be asked to do as well as any known risks or benefits related to the study. Participant is informed they are free to stop participating at any point during the project.
Informed consent for minors
form is read and signed by parent or guardian, and participant is asked if they want to be part of the experiment.
APA
American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
a national organization of psychologist and people in related fields, which has developed a set of fundamental ethical principles in the conduct of research.
Fundamental Ethical Principles in the Conduct of Research
- Institutional Approval, 2. informed consent to research, 3. Informed consent for recording voices and images in research, 4. Client/patient , student and subordinate research participants, 5. dispensing with informed consent for research 6. Offering inducements for research participation, 7. deception in research, 8. Debriefing
Institutional Approval
psychologists provide accurate information about their research proposals and obtain approval prior to conducting the research. Only moving forward in accordance with the approved research protocol.
Informed consent to research
Inform about 1. purpose of research, duration and procedures 2. right to decline to participate or withdraw 3. foreseeable consequences of declining or withdrawing 4. reasonably foreseeable factors that may be expected to influence their willingness to participate (risks, discomfort, adverse effects. 5. any prospective research benefits. 6. limits of confidentiality. 7. incentives for participation 8 whom to contact for questions about the research and rights. Provide opportunity to ask questions and get answers.
Informed consent to research involving experimental treatments at outset of study
Inform about 1. the experimental nature of the treatment. 2. the services that will or will not be available to the control group (if appropriate) 3. the means by which assignment to treatment and control groups will be made. 4. available treatment alternatives if an individual does not wish to participate in the research or wishes to withdraw. 5. compensation for or monetary costs of participating including whether reimbursement form the participant or a third-party payer will be sought.
Informed consent for recording voices and images in research
must get informed consent from participants unless: 1. research consists of naturalistic observations in public places and is not anticipated that the recording will be used in a manner that could cause personal identification or harm 2. the research design includes deception and consent for the use of the recording is obtained during debriefing.
Client/Patient, Student and Subordinate Research Participants
a. when conducting research psychologists take steps to protect he prospective participants from adverse consequences of declining or withdrawing from participation.
b. when research participation is a course requirement or an opportunity for extra credit, the prospective participant is given the choice of equitable alternative activities.
Dispensing with Informed Consent for Research
may only do so when 1. research would not reasonably be assumed to create distress or harm and involves a. the study of normal educational practices, curricula or classroom management methods in educational settings b. only anonymous questionnaires, naturalistic observations or archival research for which disclosure of responses would not place participants at risk of criminal or civil liability or damage their financial standing, employ ability or reputation and confidentiality is protected. or c. the study of factors related to job or organizational effectiveness in organizational settings for which there is no risk to participant’s employ ability and confidentiality is protected. or 2. where otherwise permitted by law or federal or institutional regulations.
Offering inducements for research participation
a. psychologists make reasonable efforts to avoid offering excessive or inappropriate financial or other inducements for research participation when such inducements are likely to coerce. b. when offering professional services as an inducement, psychologists clarify the nature of the services as well as the risks, obligations and limitations.
Deception in Research
a. psychologists do not conduct a study involving deception unless they have determined tha thte use of deceptive techniques is justified by the study’s significant prospective scientific, educational or applied value and that effective non-deceptive alternative procedures are not feasible.
b. psychologists do not deceive prospective participants about research that is expected to cause pain or severe emotional distress.
c. explain any deception that is an integral feature of the design and conduct of an experiment to participants as early as is feasible, preferably at the conclusion of their participation, but no later than at the conclusion of the data collection and permit participants to withdraw their data.
Debriefing
a. provide a prompt opportunity for participants to obtain appropriate information about the nature, results and conclusions of the research, and take reasonable steps to correct any misconceptions that participants may have of which the psychologists are aware.
b. if scientific or humane values justify delaying or withholding this information, take reasonable measures to reduce the risk of harm.
c. when you become aware that research procedures have harmed a participant, take reasonable steps to minimize the harm.
Risk
the potential for physical or psychological harm to a research participant
minimum risk
the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the research are not greater in and of themselves than those ordinarily encountered in daily life and during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests.
Deception/Concealement
Act of lying or misleading participants should only be conducted when no known alternative procedure is available and if the researcher does not lie about any factors that might affect their willingness to participate.
debriefing
if studies involve deception or concealment, it is important to let participants know the true purpose of the study as soon as possible.
Free Consent
given without coercion or pressure to comply, whether by position of authority or influence
Confederate
a research assistant who posed as a participant (must be made clear during debriefing)
Internet Research Ethics Concerns
Privacy of the information provided by participants via the internet, getting informed consent (verifying identity or age of consent, clarity as to when study begins and ends, and ambiguous as to whether a participant can drop out), how to know who was debriefed
Ethical Dilemmas
the legality of needing to breach confidentiality in instances of known harm such as suicidality or homicidality.
Ethical Dilemmas List
- Privacy, 2. Deception, 3. Ethical treatment of animals
Privacy
an invisible physical or psychological buffer zone or boundary around a person. Often inside those zones: studies on sexual behaviors, child-rearing, personal relationships.
