Behavioral Research
Chapter Three
Ethical Research
Why do Ethical issues arise?
Behavioral Research Scientists have two
sets of obligations that sometimes conflict:
•
To provide information that enhances
our understanding of behavioral processes
and lead to improvement of human or
animal welfare.
• Protect the rights and welfare of the
participants of the study.
Milgrams Obedience Experiment
(1963,1964,1965)
Belmont Report: Ethical Guidelines
for the Protection of Human
Subjects and Research
• Instituted in 1979
• Report defined the principles and
applications that have guided the APA
decisions and the APA Ethics Code.
• Three basic Ethical Principals:
– Beneficence
– Respect for Persons
– Justice
Current Guidelines for Behavioral
Research:
• American Psychological Association (APA)
ethical code-national governing body for
psychologists, provides leadership and sets
standards for ethical practice in behavioral
research.
• Institutional Review Board-all institutions that
receive federal funds must have an IRB that
reviews research conducted with human
participants.
American Psychological
Association
• Three basic ethical principles:
– Beneficence-need for research to maximize
benefits to minimize any possible harmful
effects of participation.
Safeguard: Assessment of risks and benefits
– Autonomy (respect for persons)
Safeguard: Informed Consent
– Justice- Bearing the burdens of accepting
risk along with benefiting from the research.
Safeguard: Selection of Subjects
Institutional Review Board
• To insure maximum protection for Ps, the
members of the IRB must come from a variety of
both scientific and nonscientific disciplines.
• At least one member of the IRB must be a
member of the community who is not associated
with the institution in any way
• Researchers who use human Ps must submit a
written proposal to the IRB describing the
purpose and procedures to be used in the
experiment and any potential risks to the Ps.
Six Main Issues in Ethical
Research Practices
– Potential Physical or Psychological harm
– Lack of Informed Consent
– Invasion of privacy
– Coercion to participate
– Deception
– Violation of confidentiality
Potential Risks in Psychological
Research
• Physical Harm
• Stress
• Psychological Risk
minimal risk  “risk that is no greater in
probability and severity than that ordinarily
encountered in daily life or during the
performance of routine physical or psychological
examinations or test”
Potential Benefits
• Basic Knowledge
• Improvement of Research or Assessment
Techniques
• Practical Outcomes
• Benefits for Researchers
• Benefits for Research Participants
Principle of Informed Consent
• Informed consent  involves informing the Ps
of the nature of the study and obtaining their
explicit agreement to participate.
• Obtaining informed consent ensures that
researchers do not violate people’s privacy and
that prospective research Ps are given enough
information about the nature of a study to make
a reasoned decision about whether they want to
participate
Obtaining Informed Consent
• Researchers are required to inform Participants
about features of the research that might
influence their willingness to participate.
• If the researcher does not reveal everything at
the beginning of the experiment, he/she is
obligated to later inform the Ps of all relevant
details.
• To document that informed consent was
obtained, an informed consent form is typically
used and signed.
Problems with Obtaining Informed
Consent
• Compromising the Validity of the Study
• Participants who are unable to give
informed consent
Invasion of Privacy
• APA has no specific guidelines.
• Researchers must make attempts to
protect the privacy of participants.
• Circumstances and safeguards are
decided by the Researcher and the IRB.
Coercion to Participate
• Coercion to participate  when Ps agree to participate
b/c of real or implied pressure from some individual who
has authority or influence over them.
• Ethical guidelines stipulate that the researcher can not
“offer excessive or inappropriate financial or other
inducements to obtain research participants, particularly
when it might tend to coerce participation”
• Furthermore, “when research participation is a course
requirement or opportunity for extra credit, the
prospective participant is given the choice of equitable
alternative activities”
Deception in Research
• Why use deception?
– To prevent Ps from learning the true purpose
of a study so that their behavior will not be
artificially affected.
– Types of Deception typically used
Objections to Deception
– Lying and deceit are immoral and
reprehensible acts, even when they are
used for good purposes such as
research (strictly ethical)
– Even if deception can be justified on
the grounds that it leads to positive
outcomes, it may lead to undesirable
consequences (pragmatic)
Debriefing

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

A good debriefing accomplishes four
goals
The debriefing clarifies the nature of
the study for Ps.
Remove negative consequences that the
study may have induced.
Obtain Ps/ reactions to the study itself
Ps should leave the study felling good
about their participation
Alternatives to Deception
•
•
•
Role-playing
Simulation studies
Honest experiments
Ethical Principles in Research with
Animals
• Research animals must be monitored by a person who is
experienced in the care and use of laboratory animals, and a vet
must be available for consultation.
• The facilities in which lab animals are housed are closely regulated
by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as federal, state,
and local laws
• The institutions where animal research is done are also monitored
by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC),
composed of one scientist, one vet, and a community member
• APA guidelines direct researchers to “make reasonable efforts to
minimize the discomfort, infection, illness, and pain of animal Ps”
• Researcher must justify the use of all procedures that involve more
than momentary or slight pain to the animal  Risk-benefit analysis
• APA regulations also provide guidelines for the use of surgical
procedures, the study of animals in field settings, the use of animals
for educational (as opposed to research) purposes, and the
disposition of animals at the end of a study
Scientific Misconduct
•
•
•
The most serious and blatant forms of
scientific dishonesty, such as fabrication,
falsification, and plagiarism.
Questionable research practices
Unethical behavior that is not unique to
scientific investigation,