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Researching with integrity University of Brighton

Researching with integrity University of Brighton. Friday 29th May 2009. Bruce Macfarlane. Modern mantras of ‘research ethics’. ‘everything you say will be treated in strict confidence ’ ‘your identity will be anonymised ’ ‘you have the right to withdraw at any stage’

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Researching with integrity University of Brighton

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  1. Researching with integrity University of Brighton Friday 29th May 2009 Bruce Macfarlane

  2. Modern mantras of ‘research ethics’ • ‘everything you say will be treated in strict confidence’ • ‘your identity will be anonymised’ • ‘you have the right to withdraw at any stage’ • ‘I’ve covered informed consent, anonymity, etc’

  3. The Nuremberg Code (1949) • Voluntary consent • Freedom from coercion • Ability to withdraw at any time • Appropriate research design • Consideration of risk/benefit • Qualified investigator

  4. Dominant principles Belmont report(US National Commission, 1979) • Respect for Persons • Beneficence • Justice Beauchamp & Childress(Principles of Biomedical Ethics, 1979) • Autonomy • Beneficence • Nonmaleficence • Justice

  5. Applications ‘All research plans involving human subjects must receive ethics approval’ (Simon Fraser University, Canada) ‘The guiding principles of this code of research ethics are non-maleficence and beneficence’ (University of the Arts, UK)

  6. Problems • A ‘front-ended’ agenda – permission to proceed, assumptions of predictability • Derived from biosciences not broader range of disciplines • Combines potentially conflicting ethical theories • Research ethics defined in terms of ‘misconduct’ rather than ‘good’ conduct • About compliance with rules rather than moral character

  7. A ‘virtue’ approach • About character, not rules • A mean state between extremes (vices) • Virtues formed through custom/habit • Virtue is voluntary and involves choice • Getting balance right between emotions and actions

  8. Features of virtue ‘Virtue then is a disposition involving deliberate purpose, choice being in the relative mean, and as the man of practical reason would determine’ (Artistotle)

  9. Emotions and research • Love • Curiosity • Ambition • Envy • Boredom • Friendship

  10. Example research virtues and vices Phase Defect (vice) Mean (virtue) Excess (vice) (Re)framing Negotiating Gathering Creating Disseminating Reflecting

  11. Example research virtues and vices Phase Defect (vice) Mean (virtue) Excess (vice) (Re)framing cowardice courage recklessness Negotiating Gathering Creating Disseminating Reflecting

  12. Example research virtues and vices Phase Defect (vice) Mean (virtue) Excess (vice) (Re)framing cowardice courage recklessness Negotiating manipulativeness respectfulness partiality Gathering Creating Disseminating Reflecting

  13. Example research virtues and vices Phase Defect (vice) Mean (virtue) Excess (vice) (Re)framing cowardice courage recklessness Negotiating manipulativeness respectfulness partiality Gathering laziness resoluteness inflexibility Creating Disseminating Reflecting

  14. Example research virtues and vices Phase Defect (vice) Mean (virtue) Excess (vice) (Re)framing cowardice courage recklessness Negotiating manipulativeness respectfulness partiality Gathering laziness resoluteness inflexibility Creating concealment sincerity exaggeration Disseminating Reflecting

  15. Example research virtues and vices Phase Defect (vice) Mean (virtue) Excess (vice) (Re)framing cowardice courage recklessness Negotiating manipulativeness respectfulness partiality Gathering laziness resoluteness inflexibility Creating concealment sincerity exaggeration Disseminating boastfulness humility timidity Reflecting

  16. Example research virtues and vices Phase Defect (vice) Mean (virtue) Excess (vice) (Re)framing cowardice courage recklessness Negotiating manipulativeness respectfulness partiality Gathering laziness resoluteness inflexibility Creating concealment sincerity exaggeration Disseminating boastfulness humility timidity Reflecting dogmatism reflexivity indecisiveness

  17. Moral virtues (often buried) in codes • Trust/Truthfulness/Honest • Integrity • Respect(fulness) • Impartial/Fair • Accuracy • Open(ness) • Reflexive awareness Sources: MRC, ESRC, RESPECT, AAA, ASA, APA

  18. In conclusion • Virtue and personality • A more authentic, personal, and discipline-specific approach to research ethics is needed • Real research ethics are about invisible andoften ‘fine grained’ decisions • Need to recognise moral character to build on and complement basic rules

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