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Milgram’s Obedience Experiment. Studies the phenomenon of obedience to an authority figure Told participants the study was to measure the effects of punishment on learning Participants were mislead about the severity of punishment; the “shock” administered were not real Results
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Milgram’s Obedience Experiment • Studies the phenomenon of obedience to an authority figure • Told participants the study was to measure the effects of punishment on learning • Participants were mislead about the severity of punishment; the “shock” administered were not real • Results • 65% of participants administered “shocks” up to 450 volts • Was this study ethical?
Risks in Psychological Research • Physical harm • Stress • Loss of privacy and confidentiality Guidelines: • The Belmont Report from the National Commission, 1979; Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research • 1982; APA published a book
Ethical or Unethical? • Men using a public restroom are observed secretly by a researcher hidden in a toilet stall, and the time they take to urinate is recorded (Middlemist, Knowles, & Matter, 1976). • Shoppers in a drugstore are exposed to a shoplifting confederate, and their reactions are observed (Gelfand, Hartmann, Walder, & Page, 1973). • Researchers hide under dormitory beds and eavesdrop on college students’ conversations (Henle & Hubbell, 1938).
Right to privacy • The circumstances under which researchers may collect data w/o participant’s knowledge is left to the investigator’s judgement –APA’s book EthicalPrinciples • Research involving the observation of people in public need not be reviewed by IRB --Federal guidelines
Informed Consent • Informed consent form should: • Be read and signed by participant • Be easy to understand • Mention any risks • Clarify confidentiality • Assure that participation is voluntary • Inform subject about withdrawal • Provide the experimenter’s contact info
Issues w/ consent • Autonomy • Minors need consent from a guardian • Coercion limits the participant’s freedom • Information • Too much can invalidate study • Deception is often used
Debriefing • Occurs after the completion of the study • Goals • Alternatives to Deception • Role-Playing • Simulation studies • Honest experiments
Regulations • Human Research • Institutional Review Board (IRB) • Exempt Research • Minimal Risk Research • Greater than minimal risk research • Animal Research • Institutional Animal Care and Use committee (IACUC)
Risks and benefits • Do the costs outweigh the benefits? • If so, research is warranted • Are there alternative procedures? • Is this ethical / just / confidential?
Misrepresentation • Fabrication of data • Plagiarism • Result: inability to replicate data • Possible reasons • - • - • -