CHAPTER 2 3 ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH DESIGN

CHAPTER 2: 3 ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH DESIGN

LESSON # 7 • Objective: Explain the ethical obligations of researchers toward their research participants. Descrive both sides of the debate on the use of animals as research objects. • Agenda: Bellwork, 2. 3 notes, discussion • Bellwork: Read, think, reflect Is there an instance where testing on humans is ethical? What about animals?

CASE STUDY: TUSKEGEE • Performed by an extinct government agency, the U. S. Public Health Service (1932 -1972) • Natural course of syphilis • 399 African-American men in rural Alabama who were previously diagnosed • Did not inform the men of their disease, nor that there was a treatment, or that they were subjects. • Withheld all important medical information and treatment options. • 28 men died, 100 died of complications, 40 wives infected, 19 children born • Clinton Apology

ETHICAL GUIDELINES FOR HUMAN RESEARCH • IRB (Institutional Review Boards) • Informed Consent-informing research participants of what is involved in a study before asking them to participate, participants should enter voluntarily, • Challenges include medical or psychological issues such as Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. • Deception-deliberately misleading the design or purpose • • Confederate-a research assistant who plays a part of the participant Is there an instance when deception is justified? • Protection from Harm and Discomfort-must take reasonable steps to avoid harm to participants • Debriefing-participants should be informed of the deception by debriefing as soon as possible after the deception takes place.

ETHICAL ISSUES IN ANIMAL RESEARCH • • Invasive Research-often takes the form of producing lesions in animals brains, usually by means of surgery, and observing the effects on animal behavior. • 7 -8% of psychological research • Mostly rodents and birds • Goal is to generate ideas of how the brain relates to behavior in animals, and how the findings generalize to humans, without having to inflict harm upon humans. • 100 million lab animal deaths per year in medical and psychological research Questions: • How well do animal models translate to human conditions? • Is research on aggression, fear, learning, memory, and related topics useful? • Problem-often there are few, or no, good alternatives to using animals. • What are potential benefits and costs of using animals in research?