CHAPTER 2 Ethics in Psychological Research

1. CHAPTER 2Ethics in Psychological Research Course Lecturer: Alla Chavarga Monday 9:05-10:45am

2. If you have not already done so… • EMAIL ME at alla.chavarga@gmail.com Subject: YOUR NAME Psych 3450- TA Notice: NO CLASS Feb 17th (Holiday) AND Feb 20th (Conversion Day)

3. CHAPTER 2Ethics in Psychological Research • Origins of the APA ethics code and its five general principles • The role of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) in the researchprocess • The ethical questions involved when completing research using children and those from special populations • Describe how the ethics code applies to research that involves the Internet • Describe the arguments for and against the use of animals in psychological research

4. Questionable Practices • Watson & Rayner (1920) • Little Albert • Ethics – a set of standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession • Landis (1924) • Rat Beheading

5. Developing the APA Code of Ethics • Late 30’s: An empirical approach to forming the code was utilized; the critical incidents technique. • First APA code of ethics  1953 • Hobbs committee • APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct  2002 (2010 amendments)

6. Developing the APA Code of Ethics • Guidelines for ethical behavior for the practice of research, clinical work, and teaching in psychology • Applies to all of us in the field of psychology • Code contains: • 5 general principles • 10 standards of practice • http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

7. APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct • General Principles • Beneficence and non-maleficence • Constantly weigh costs & benefits; protect from harm; produce greatest good • Fidelity and responsibility • Be professional; constantly be aware of responsibility to society • Integrity • Be scrupulously honest • Justice • Always treat people fairly • Respect for peoples’ rights and dignity • Safeguard individual rights; protect rights of privacy and confidentiality

8. Research and Publication • Identify potential risks • Protect participants from physical and psychological harm • Justify remaining risks • Obtain informed consent • Take care of participants after the study (debriefing)

9. Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans • Judging benefits and costs: the IRB : In 1974, as part of the National Research Act, the federal government mandated that IRBs be in place for any college or university receiving federal funds for research. (IRB = Institutional Review Board) • At least five people, including at least one member of the outside community and a minimum of one nonscientist. • Determines whether the project meets ethical guidelines • Some research is exempt; expedited; full review • Key factor: degree of risk to subjects

10. Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans • Informed consent and deception in research • Consent: sufficient information to decide whether to participate • Deception rationale • Desire to have subjects act naturally • Milgram (1963) obedience study as an example • Cover story  effect of punishment on learning • Real purpose  limits of obedience to authority • No consent needed in some circumstances • some survey, educational, archival, and observational research

11. Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans • Elements of consent • Study’s basic description • Enough information to decide whether to participate • How long participation will take • May quit at any time • Confidentiality and anonymity ensured • Contact information given (researcher, IRB) • Opportunity to obtain final results of the study • Signatures

12. Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans • Historical example of poor consent • Tuskegee syphilis study • Willowbrookhepatitis study • MK-ULTRA (CIA & LSD) • Consent with special populations • Children • assent also needed • Children and other special groups (e.g., prisoners) • Special care to avoid feelings of coercion

13. Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans • Treating participants well • Debriefing • Dehoaxing • Desensitizing • Participant crosstalk • Code allows partial debriefing followed by full report at completion of the study • Research ethics and the Internet • Problems with ensuring consent • Problems with conducting effective debriefing

14. Ethical Guidelines for Research with Animals • The issue of animal rights • Using animals in psychological research • Aids both humans and animals • Sometimes there is no alternative (tissue, simulation/computer model) • The APA Code for animal research / The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) • Justifying the study • Cost-benefit analysis • No plausible alternatives • Caring for the animals • e.g., expertise with species, upkeep of animal health • Using animals for educational purposes

15. Scientific Fraud • Plagiarism • Data falsification • Varying degrees (all unethical) • Reasons • Range from individual weakness to societal moral standards • Publish or perish climate in academia

16. Summary • As psychological researchers, we adhere to a Code of Ethics regarding research with humans and animals. • The APA code and IRBs help guide our decisions and actions in conducting research ethically, responsibly, and with integrity.

17. Lab Prep • Your first experiment: TASK-SWITCHING “The Myth of Multitasking” • Assumption: A person can switch their attention and effort between multiple tasks without loss of efficiency (speed and performance).

18. Lab Prep • Task-set: effective intention to perform a task; configuring one's mental state (e.g. attention) to be in accordance with the specific operations demanded by the task. • Switch cost: The difference in accuracy and performance between a task repeat (A-A) and a task switch (A-B) • Task-Set ReconfigurationTheory: once the task set is implemented, it stays in a given state of activation of until it has to be changed, such as when a new task is presented. Switch costs arise from an executive control process that reconfigures the cognitive system to implement the relevant task set.

19. Lab PrepThings to keep in mind… • The rationale for studying this phenomenon • Explanation of task-set theory; what would it predict? • Pay special attention to methodology; specific details in testing environment • What could be some shortcomings? • Could anything else be responsible for your results besides your manipulation?