Chapter 4: Ethical Guidelines for Psychology Research

Question 1

Tuskegee Syphilis Study

Three Major Ethics Violations

Answer 1

1. The participants were not retreated respectfully
   - Not informed with the study
   - No consent form
2. The participants were harmed
3. The participants were a targeted, disadvantaged social group

Question 2

The Belmong Report Principle 1:

Respect for Pearsons

Answer 2

• Emphasizes that everyone should be treated as autonomous agents
  — Free to make up their own minds about whether they wish to participate in a research study
  — Entitled to the precaution of informed consent
• Individuals with diminished autonomy are entitled to protection
  — Entitled to special protection when it comes to informed consent

Question 3

Informed Consent Process

Answer 3

1. Voluntariness
2. Information
3. Comprehension

Question 4

Informed Consent Process

Voluntariness

Answer 4

Coercion: An implicit or explicit suggestion that those who do not participate will suffer a negative consequence

Undue Influence: Make decisions with no influence

Question 5

Informed Consent Process

Information

Answer 5

• All information should be provided to a research
• Inform any health concerns
• Details of the nature and purpose of the research
• The duration of the subjects participation
• Detailed description

Question 6

Informed Consent Process

Comprehension

Answer 6

• Given in clear language that is understandable
• Form consent should be in simple language
• When involves children, it is important to have both consent one from the parent and the other one is for the children
  — Emphasize that the children is free to say (emphasize the voluntariness)

Question 7

The Belmong Report Principle 2:

Benefiecence

Answer 7

Maximize possible benefits and minimize risks
- Obligation to protect participants from harm (Maximizing the benefits)
- If there is no way to minimize the study, the study cannot be done or supported

Question 8

Benefiecence

Example of Risks in Studies

Answer 8

• Emotional distress
• Psychological trauma
• Embarrassment
• Loss of Employment - financial loss
• Social stigmatization
• Shame or guilt
• Invasion of privacy
• Breach of Confidentiality

Question 9

Benefience

Ways to Mitigate Risks of the Study

Answer 9

1. Confidentiality
2. Privacy
3. Anonymity
4. Debriefing
5. Emphaszing Voluntary

Question 10

Ways to Mitigate Risks of the Study

Confidentiality

Answer 10

• Concerns how identifiable information is kept safe (how you handle data)
• Make sure the data is collected the right way

Question 11

Ways to Mitigate Risks of the Study

Privacy

Answer 11

Protection from getting access to others (the people)

Question 12

Ways to Mitigate Risks of the Study

Anonymity

Answer 12

• Anonymity can be a way of privacy
• The condition of being anonymous
• Works better conducting the study on line

Question 13

Ways to Mitigate Risks of the Study

Debriefing

Answer 13

Emphasizing more about the purpose of the study

Question 14

Ways to Mitigate Risks of the Study

Emphasizing Voluntary

Answer 14

Nature of participation and freedom to refuse to answer or withdraw from the study at any time without penalty

Question 15

The Belmong Report Principle 3:

Justice

Answer 15

• Calls for a fair balance between the kinds of people who participate in research and the kinds of people who benefit from it
• Making sure participants are selected fairly
• Participants shouldnt be base on race or gender unless there’s a scientific reason to
• When the principle of justice is applied, it means that researchers consider the extend to which the participants involved in a study are representative of the kidneys of people who would also benefit from its result

Question 16

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Answer 16

• Committee responsible for ensuring that research using human participants is conducted ethically
• Reviews research study to make sure the study is ethical
• It can be rejected or approve
• Use the federal guidelines
• Set of guidelines that IRB follows

Question 17

Debriefing

Answer 17

• The researcher describes the nature of the deception and explain why it was necessary
• The researcher describes the design of the study, thereby giving the participant some insight about the nature of psychological science

Question 18

Deception

Answer 18

• Researchers withheld some details of the study from participants - deception through omission. In other cases, researcher actively lied to participants - deception through commission (It’s necessary to obtain meaningful results)
• Some psychologists believe that deception undermines peoples trust in the research process and should never be used in a study design

Question 19

Form of Research Misconduct

Data falsification

Answer 19

Collect data but might delete some data point so it can fit your hypothesis

Question 20

Form of Research Misconduct

Data Fabrication

Answer 20

Making up data without even collecting data so can fit in your hypothesis

Question 21

Form of Research Misconduct

Plagiarism

Answer 21

• “The appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit”
• A violation of ethics because it is unfair for a research to take credit for another person’s intellectual property: it is a form of stealing
• Must cite the sources if all ideas that are not your own

Question 22

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA)

Answer 22

• Federal law
• Regulates the treatments of animals, teaching testing
• Anytime animales are involved need to follow the guideline
• Outlines standards and guidelines for the treatment of animals
• Applies to many species of animals in research laboratories and other contexts, including zoos and pet stores
• Mandates that relevant research institutions have a local board the IACUC

Question 23

Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

Answer 23

• Constitutional level
• Needs to be approved by the act when trying to conduct a research
• Must approve any animal research project before it can begin
• Contain a veterinarian, practicing scientist who is familiar with the goal and procedures of animal research and a members of the local community who is unconnected with the institution
• Requires researcher to submit an extensive protocol specifying how animals would be treated and protected
• Included the scientific justification for the research
• They do not cover mice, rats and birds but such species are included in the oversight at IACUC boards
• Monitors the treatments of animals throughout the research process

Question 24

Animal Care Guidelines and the Four R’s

Answer 24

1. Replacement
2. Refinement
3. Reduction
4. Rehabilitation

Question 25

Replacement

Answer 25

• Need to find an alternatives when using animals in research when possible

Example: some studies can use computer simulation instead of animal subjects

Question 26

Refinement

Answer 26

• Refining or altering research procedure in aspect of animal care
• Researchers must modify experimental procedures and other aspects of animal care to minimize or eliminate animal distress

Question 27

Reduction

Answer 27

• Researchers should adopt experimental designs and procedures that require the fewest animal subjects possible
• Using the fewest number of animals in the study

Question 28

Rehabilitation

Answer 28

Caring for the animals after the study ends