New Recording 24

Overview

• Discussion of unethical experiments and their implications on ethics in research.

• Importance of understanding these experiments in the context of current ethical standards.

The Monster Study

• Origin: Conducted by scientists at the University of Iowa in 1939.

• Purpose: Aimed to investigate stuttering but involved gaslighting children into believing they had speech issues.

• Total subjects: 22 orphan children.

• Led by Professor Wendell Johnson.

• Outcome: Survivors and families filed a lawsuit against the state of Iowa in 2007, receiving a total of $925,000 for psychological damage.

• Ethical concerns: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association prohibits experimentation on children with potential lasting harm.

The Milgram Experiment

• Overview: Subjects administered what they believed were painful electric shocks to others when prompted by an authority figure in a lab coat.

• Objective: Measured obedience to authority against personal morals.

• Findings: 65% of subjects administered the maximum voltage despite signs of distress from the learner (actor).

• Relation to historical events: Parallels drawn between Milgram's findings and the obedience shown in Nazi Germany.

The Pit of Despair

• Description: Experiment involving isolated baby monkeys to study the effects of maternal care on social development.

• Experiment's design: Infants were given two surrogate mothers; one was comforting and the other provided nourishment but was frightening.

• Research significance: Connections were made to reactive attachment disorder in humans, showing effects of maltreatment on psychological well-being.

• Legislative impact: Resulted in greater scrutiny of animal research practices and more legislation for ethical treatment of animals.

The Tuskegee Study

• Duration: 1932-1972, involving 399 men with untreated syphilis.

• Misleading information: Participants were deceived about their health status (told they were receiving treatment for 'bad blood').

• Ethical violations: No informed consent provided, and treatment was deliberately withheld despite the existence of a cure for syphilis.

• Legal outcomes: Settlement in 1974 included $10,000,000 divided among affected group members.

Regulations on Human Subjects

• Legal frameworks: Established post-experimentations, specifically the Nuremberg Code (1947) and the Declaration of Helsinki.

• Key guidelines:

  • Voluntary consent from subjects.

  • Studies must yield fruitful results and ensure subject safety.

  • Need for ethical approval from Institutional Review Boards (IRBs).

Ethical Considerations in Research

• Importance of informed consent and clear communication with subjects.

• Risks associated with experiments must be minimized; protocols must be designed thoughtfully to avoid harm.

• Need for checks and balances within research institutions (e.g., IRBs must ensure regulations are met).

Specific Guidelines from the Belmont Report

• Respect for persons: Ensuring autonomy and voluntary participation.

• Beneficence: Maximizing benefits while minimizing risks.

• Justice: Equitable selection of subjects and fairness in the distribution of research benefits.

The Role of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

• Composition: At least one scientist, one non-scientist, and one non-affiliated member.

• Function: Review research proposals for ethical standards, ensure participant protection, and monitor compliance throughout the research process.