Ethics in Psychological Research

1. Ethics in Psychological Research

2. Connections with last day..... • Psychologists strive for research which: • Gathers empirical data and results • Empirical – relying on or derived from experiment or observation • Uses the scientific method • The systematic process of obtaining empirical results to a hypothesis under controlled conditions • Is free of bias • Does not factor in any of the researchers tendencies, inclinations, or prejudices toward the subject in question

3. Sources of Bias • Sources of bias include: • Personal bias -- values, beliefs, morals • Expectancy bias -- pre-existing knowledge, • Bias could affect the way an experimenter designs a study, collects data, or interprets results • Double blind studies attempt to control bias • Neither the researcher nor the participants know which participants receive the treatment

4. Types of Psychological Research • In experiments, the researcher controls all the conditions and directly manipulates them • Non-experimental methods include: • Correlations – relationship between two sets of observations (ex. students grades and # of hours of sleep) • Surveys – many individuals asked a set of ?s • Longitudinal studies – examine same group over time • Cross-sectional studies – different ages at one time • Cohort-sequential studies – different groups

5. Questions Science Cannot Answer • The scientific method is not appropriate for answering questions that cannot be put to an objective, empirical test • Ethics • Morality • Religious beliefs • Preferences

6. Ethical Issues in Research • Informed Consent • Deception • Debriefing • Animal Research

7. Informed Consent • Must obtain informed consent from participants • Basically, participants must be informed of the purpose of the research, expected duration, and procedures • they are agreeing to participate despite potential risks involved and that they can withdraw from the study at any time

8. Deception • Psychologists must use deception only when: • justified by the study's significant prospective scientific, educational, or applied value • effective non-deceptive alternative procedures are not possible • No research reasonably expected to cause physical pain or severe emotional distress may involve deception • Psychologists must explain any deception within an experiment to participants as early as is feasible, and permit participants to withdraw their data.

9. Debriefing • Psychologists must provide a prompt opportunity for participants to obtain information about the nature, results, and conclusions of the research, • When psychologists become aware that research procedures have harmed a participant, they take reasonable steps to minimize the harm.

10. Use of Animals in Research • Psychologists acquire, care for, use, and dispose of animals in compliance with current federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and with professional standards. • Psychologists make reasonable efforts to minimize the discomfort, infection, illness, and pain of animal subjects. • Psychologists use a procedure subjecting animals to pain, stress, or privation only when an alternative procedure is unavailable and the goal is justified by its prospective scientific, educational, or applied value. • Psychologists perform surgical procedures under appropriate anaesthesia and follow techniques to avoid infection and minimize pain during and after surgery. • When it is appropriate that an animal's life be terminated, psychologists proceed rapidly, with an effort to minimize pain and in accordance with accepted procedures.

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