Ethics Flashcards
What was the Tuskegee Syphilis Study?
Black men with/without syphilis were studied to determine the long term effects of the disease.
What was so appalling about the Tuskegee study?
The men were lied to and told they were being treated, and when penicillin was discovered, the participants were not told.
What are three ethical violations present in the Tuskegee Syphilis study?
The men were harmed, the men were not treated with respect, and the researchers targeted a disadvantaged social group.
What were two sources of ethical concern in Milgram’s obedience study?
The study was extremely stressful on the “teachers” and there could have been lasting effects.
What is the fundamental conundrum?
Trying to balance the potential risks o participants against the value of the knowledge we can gain.
What is the Belmont Report?
A report outlining 3 guiding principles for conducting research with human participants.
What are the three Belmont guidelines?
Respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.
What is the principle of respect for persons?
Research participants should be treated as autonomous agents and that certain groups deserve special protections.
What is informed consent?
Research participants’ right to learn about a research project, know its risks and benefits, and decide whether or not to participate.
What would coercion involve?
Incentives that are too strong or telling people they would suffer negative consequences if they do not consent.
What is the principle of beneficence?
Researchers must take precautions to protect participants from harm and to promote participants’ well-being.
What is the principle of justice?
Calls for a fair balance between the kinds of people who participate in research and the kinds of people who benefit from it.
What are institutional review boards?
Committees responsible for ensuring that research on humans in conducted ethically.
What is an institutional review board’s only job?
To determine whether or not the study is ethical.
How is informed consent generally obtained?
By providing a written document that outlines the procedures, risks, and benefits of the research.
What is deception?
The withholding of some details of a study from participants (deception through omission) or the act of actively lying to them (deception through commission).
Which Belmont principle does deception seem to violate? Why is it permitted?
It seems to violate the respect for persons, but it is justified through the use of the principle of beneficence.
What three things must a researcher do during the debriefing process?
Describe and explain any deception, explain the importance of their research, and explain the design of the study.
Psychologists who use animals must do what three things?
Care for them humanely, use as few animals as possible, and be sure their research is valuable enough to justify the use of animals.
What are the three Rs for animal care?
Replace, refine, and reduce.
What does the replace principle of animal care mean?
Researchers should find alternatives to animals when necessary.
What does the refine principle of animal care mean?
Researchers must modify experimental procedures and other aspects of animal care to minimize or eliminate animal distress.
What does the reduce principle of animal care mean?
Researchers should adopt experimental designs and procedures that require the fewest animals subjects possible.
