PSYCH 208/306: Understanding Ethics for Psychological Research and Practice

Flashcards covering research ethics principles, historical codes and declarations, unethical research studies, Indigenous rights (UNDRIP), New Zealand codes of conduct, and university ethical approval processes.

How did Sieber (1993) define ethics in the context of research and practice?

Ethics has to do with the application of a system of moral principles to prevent harming or wronging others, to promote the good, to be respectful, and to be fair.

What is the core premise of a deontological approach to ethics, and which philosopher is it attributed to?

A deontological approach uses rules to establish right from wrong; it is attributed to Immanuel Kant.

How does a consequentialist ethical approach evaluate whether an action is morally right?

It judges what is right by what the consequences of the action are.

What are the four core principles outlined in the relational approach to ethical decision-making?

1. Mutual respect, 2. Relational engagement, 3. Bringing knowledge back to life, and 4. Creating environment.

What core values and commitments characterize Indigenous ethical approaches?

They resonate with the values of honour, trust, honesty, and humility; reflect commitment to the collective; and embody a respectful relationship with the land.

What are four key characteristics of ethical thinking highlighted in the lecture?

1. It comes from a perspective; 2. It is not universal or singular; 3. It prioritises certain things and deprioritises others; 4. It is 'alive' (we have not yet reached the end point of ethics).

What historical event led to the creation of the Nuremberg Code in 1947?

The trial of $23$ Nazi Germany medical professionals in December 1946 for conducting medical experiments on camp victims, including extremes of cold and vaccine testing for typhus and malaria.

What is the legal status of the Nuremberg Code (1947)?

It is internationally recognized, but it is not legally binding in international law.

What does Principle 1 of the Nuremberg Code state regarding research participation?

The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.

What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), and how many articles does it contain?

A milestone document setting out fundamental universal human rights drafted by representatives with diverse legal and cultural backgrounds, containing $30$ articles.

What key additions did the Declaration of Helsinki (1964) introduce beyond the Nuremberg Code?

1. Formation of independent review committees (IRBs); 2. Distinguishing therapeutic research from purely scientific research; 3. Removal of sexist language; 4. Establishment of vulnerable populations; 5. Requirement to keep patients informed about their health.

What key terminology change was made in the 2024 revisions of the Declaration of Helsinki?

The term 'subjects' was replaced with 'participants' to respect the rights and agency of individuals in research.

Under the Declaration of Helsinki, when is medical research with a vulnerable group justified?

Only if the research is responsive to the health needs or priorities of that group, cannot be carried out in a non-vulnerable group, and the group stands to benefit from the resulting knowledge, practices, or interventions.

What are the three fundamental ethical principles established in the Belmont Report (1979)?

1. Respect for persons (treating individuals as autonomous agents and protecting those with diminished autonomy); 2. Beneficence (do no harm; maximize benefits and minimize harms); 3. Justice (fair distribution of costs and benefits).

According to the GAO study cited by Hodge (2012), how many American Indian females were sterilized between 1973 and 1976?

$3,406$ American Indian females aged $15$ to $44$ across four of the $12$ Indian Health Service (IHS) regions.

What forms of coercion and violations occurred during the IHS sterilizations of American Indian females between 1973 and 1976?

Women were led to believe they would lose Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) benefits, healthcare access, or child custody if they refused, and $36$ women younger than $21$ were sterilized despite a court-ordered moratorium.

What ethical violations occurred in Arizona State University's 1990 study on the Havasupai Indian tribe?

Over $200$ blood samples collected for a type 2 diabetes study were stored, shared overseas, and used without the tribe's knowledge or IRB approval for unrelated studies on schizophrenia and inbreeding.

Why was the unauthorized secondary use and retention of blood samples culturally offensive to the Havasupai tribe?

Their cultural belief dictates that all biological human material must remain intact for an individual's spirit to travel to the afterlife.

What unethical practice was identified in the New Zealand Cervical Cancer Inquiry regarding the 1965–1970 study?

Patients with carcinoma-in-situ were left untreated without their consent to observe the natural history of the disease, leading to invasive cancer and preventable deaths.

Which four countries voted against the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007?

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.

What rights are articulated under Articles 3 and 4 of UNDRIP?

Article 3 articulates the right to self-determination (freely determining political status and pursuing development); Article 4 establishes the right to autonomy or self-government in internal and local affairs.

What rights are established under Article 8 of UNDRIP?

The right not to be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction of culture, with state mechanisms provided for prevention of and redress for dispossession, forced assimilation, and discriminatory propaganda.

What are the five general principles of the American Psychological Association (APA 1973) ethical guidelines?

Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence; Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility; Principle C: Integrity; Principle D: Justice; Principle E: Respect for People's Rights and Dignity.

What are the four main principles of the Code of Ethics for Psychologists Working in Aotearoa/New Zealand?

Principle 1: Respect for the Dignity of Persons and Peoples; Principle 2: Responsible Caring; Principle 3: Integrity in Relationships; Principle 4: Social Justice and Responsibility to Society.

Under Principle 1.3 of the NZ Code of Ethics, what are psychologists required to understand regarding Te Tiriti o Waitangi?

The meaning and implications of Te Tiriti o Waitangi for their work, including the principles of protection, participation, and partnership with Māori.

Which three ethics committees can provide ethics approval for human participant research at the University of Auckland?

1. The University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee (UAHPEC); 2. The Auckland Health Research Ethics Committee (AHREC); 3. A Health and Disability Ethics Committee (HDEC).

When must research at the University of Auckland be submitted to AHREC instead of UAHPEC?

When research involves recruiting human participants or obtaining data from the Auckland District Health Board (ADHB), and when participants are recruited from one or more additional DHBs.

What two operational requirements are specifically outlined for members of the University of Auckland Animal Ethics Committee?

1. Conflicts of Interest (declaring real or perceived conflicts of interest in line with University policy); 2. Confidentiality (treating all meeting discussions, tabled matters, and outside issues with confidentiality).

What is funding bias (also known as sponsorship bias)?

The tendency of a scientific study to support the interests of the study's financial sponsor, functioning as an instance of experimenter's bias.