Chambliss_Chapter_3

Chapter 3: Ethics in Research

Learning Objectives

  • Milgram Obedience Experiments: Understand the design and controversies surrounding the Milgram obedience experiments.

  • Human Subjects Protections: Identify three significant research projects that led to the establishment of protections for human subjects.

  • Belmont Report: Define the three ethical standards of the Belmont Report that govern human subject research: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

  • Institutional Review Board (IRB): Explain the role and functions of IRBs in research.

  • Current Standards: List the current standards for the protection of human subjects in research.

  • Debriefing: Define debriefing and discuss the ethical considerations in the context of the Milgram experiment.

Introduction to Ethical Controversies in Research

  • Public advertisement for psychology experiments may draw individuals unaware of ethical issues involved.

  • Milgram's experiment is one of the most controversial in social science history due to its examination of obedience to authority.

The Milgram Study Overview

  • Setting: Conducted at Yale University, Milgram's experiments aimed to investigate obedience through a simulated shock delivery system.

  • Experiment Setup: One participant is designated as the 'teacher', while another, unseen, is the 'learner' allegedly receiving shocks as a punishment for incorrect answers.

  • Shock Levels: The teacher has to administer increasing shocks as the learner answers incorrectly, leading to potential ethical dilemmas surrounding mental distress.

Historical Context of Ethical Standards

  • Historical abuses in research prompted the establishment of ethical guidelines:

    • Nuremberg Trials (1946): Exposed medical experiments by Nazi doctors, leading to ethical guidelines for research involving human subjects.

    • Tuskegee Syphilis Study (1932-1972): Lasting 40 years, this study left participants untreated without informed consent, highlighting the need for protections for vulnerable populations.

Belmont Report Principles

  1. Respect for Persons

    • Treat participants as autonomous agents; protect those with diminished autonomy.

  2. Beneficence

    • Maximize benefits and minimize potential harms to research participants.

  3. Justice

    • Ensure fair distribution of the benefits and burdens of research.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

  • Function: Mandated for institutions receiving federal funding for research; reviews research proposals for ethical compliance.

  • Composition: Diverse membership from various backgrounds ensures fair assessment of ethical considerations.

Current Standards for Protecting Human Subjects

  • Key Protections:

    • Avoid harm to participants, obtain informed consent, limit deception, and ensure privacy and confidentiality.

  • Guidelines may vary by organization, though adherence to foundational principles is critical.

Ethical Procedure in Conducting Research

Key Guidelines for Ethics in Research

  1. Avoid Harming Research Participants

    • Take care to interpret and mitigate both physical and emotional harm to subjects.

  2. Informed Consent

    • Ensure participants understand the nature of the research and voluntarily agree to partake.

  3. Deception

    • Limited deception may be acceptable; however, it requires careful consideration and debriefing afterward.

  4. Privacy and Confidentiality

    • Personal data must be protected, and privacy must be maintained throughout the research process.

Debriefing Following Experiments

  • Ensuring well-being: Post-experiment discussions help mitigate any negative effects that may arise from distressful experiments, such as those seen in Milgram's study.

Evaluating the Impact of Prior Research on Current Practices

  • Milgram’s experiments sparked ongoing debates regarding ethical practices in social science, necessitating strict ethical guidelines fostering participant safety and informed consent.

Informed Consent

  • What It Entails: Informed consent is a crucial ethical requirement that ensures participants fully understand the nature, purpose, methodologies, and potential risks associated with a research study. Participants must voluntarily agree to partake without any form of coercion.

  • IRB: Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) play a significant role in overseeing the informed consent process. They review research proposals to ensure that the process of obtaining consent aligns with ethical standards. The IRB mandates that researchers clearly communicate the specifics of the study and verify that consent is genuinely informed.

  • Anonymity: Maintaining anonymity is an essential consideration in research ethics. Researchers should take steps to ensure that participants' identities are not disclosed, thus protecting them from potential repercussions stemming from their participation in the research.

  • Consent and Special Considerations: Special considerations are necessary when the study involves vulnerable populations (such as children, individuals with cognitive impairments, or those in coercive environments). In such cases, additional protections and safeguards may be required to ensure that consent is ethical and informed.

  • Confidentiality: Confidentiality refers to the obligation of researchers to protect sensitive information shared by participants during the course of the study. Researchers must implement measures to keep personal data secure and ensure that any recorded information does not identify participants publicly. This includes adhering to legal requirements regarding data protection and ethical guidelines surrounding privacy.