Ethics Flashcards
What are ethics?
Moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity
Name two famous studies with major ethical issues in past research
The Little Albert Study and the Stanford Prison Experiment
What is the Tri-Council of Canada?
A Canadian ethics board made up of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
What does the Tri-Council of Canada do?
It governs ethics in research in Canada
What is required to respect participants’ autonomy?
Informed consent forms, which inform participants about the purpose, procedures, risks, benefits, compensation, confidentiality, and their right to withdraw
How should researchers handle participants who lack the ability to make informed decisions?
Guardians or parents must provide consent for minors, while minors provide assent
What is coercion in research?
Using authority or high compensation to influence participation, which can affect voluntary consent
What is the “secondary use of data”?
Analyzing data collected for purposes other than the original research, such as Facebook’s emotional contagion experiment
What is deception in research, and how is it handled?
Deception involves misleading participants. After the study, researchers must debrief participants to explain the deception and ensure their emotional well-being
What are alternatives to deception in research?
Role playing, simulation studies, and honest studies where participants are fully informed about the research purpose
How do researchers show concern for participants’ welfare?
By minimizing risks and maximizing benefits for both participants and society through a risk-benefit analysis
What are some potential benefits and risks to participants in research?
Benefits could include education, new skills, or treatment. Risks could involve physical harm, psychological stress, or loss of privacy
Why is confidentiality important in research?
To protect participants’ privacy, although in some cases anonymity may not be possible, such as in in-person studies or when emails are required for compensation
What is concealed observation, and where is it used?
Observing behavior without participants’ knowledge, often used in public spaces, such as in a urination study
What does “justice” in research ethics mean?
Treating people fairly and equitably by recruiting a diverse range of participants and ensuring that participation benefits them
Give an example of an unethical study that violated the principle of justice.
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study, where participants did not benefit from the research
What is an REB, and what does it do?
A Research Ethics Board reviews all research projects for compliance with ethical standards and categorizes studies based on risk levels
What are the categories of research risk levels?
Exempt research, minimal risk (no greater than daily risks), and greater than minimal risk (e.g., sensitive topics, vulnerable populations)
