Ethics in Experimental Research

1
Ethics in Experimental Research

• Showing concern for the welfare of human subjects

2
Ethical matrix for social science research
Good ends Bad ends
Good means Ethical research Subjective ethic (backfires)
Bad means Machiavellian research Unethical research
3
Belmont report

• Autonomy
• Free-choice, no pressure to participate,
• consideration of at risk groups or individuals
  persons with diminished autonomy
• Beneficence
• do no harm, ensure the well-being of
  participants
• Justice
• fair distribution of risks and benefits of
  research
• subject recruitment, selection
• subject compensation

4
How common is research misconduct?

• More than 1 percent of scientists report direct
  knowledge of an instance of misconduct. Elliot
  (2000). How prevalent is fraud? Thats a
  multi-million dollar question. Science, 290, pp.
  1662-1663
• Motivations include
• tenure and promotion
• pressure to publish or perish
• lucrative grants, patents
• fame, notoriety, prestige

5
No harm to the participants

• minimizing psychological risks
• Example simulations that accentuate racist,
  sexist, or homophobic attitudes
• minimizing physical risks
• Example behavioral psychologists penchant for
  shocking subjects in the 60s and 70s
• showing concern for the welfare of participants
• Example Stanley Milgrams conformity research

6
Voluntary informed consent

• Before conducting any research using human
  participants, a participants voluntary informed
  consent must first be obtained
• Voluntary the subject willingly agrees to
  participate in the study, and is free to withdraw
  at any time without penalty
• Informed the subject is aware of any risks
  (physical or psychological) associated with
  participating
• Consent the subjects consent is unambiguous,
  e.g., a signed permission form (no such things as
  implied consent)

7
Exceptions to the consent requirement

• Low-risk anonymous survey
• Observations gathered in public places
• Information in the public domain

8
Treating participants with respect and dignity

• the subjects versus participants controversy
• avoiding isms in research sexism, racism,
  ethnocentrism, ageism, etc.
• ethics of withholding treatment from control
  groups