Class #10: Ethics

1. Researcher’s Obligations: To provide information; to protect the rights and welfare of the participants

2. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study:

• Participants were not treated respectfully
• Participants were harmed
• Participants were targeted, disadvantaged social group

3. The Milgram Obedience Studies:

Lesson: Researchers must balance the risk to participants with benefit to society.

4. The Belmont Report / APA Ethical Principles:

5. Institutional Review Board (IRB): the proposal should descrive the purpose, procedures, and potential risks.

6. Ethical Issues:
-Lack of adequate informed consent
-Invasion of privacy
–Coercion to participate
-Potential physical or mental harm (Minimal Risk)
–Deception
-Violation of confidentiality
–Vulnerable populations (People who have impaied decisional capacity, at risk… e.g., Children, Prisoners…)
-Scientific misconduct (Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism)

7. Informed Consent: Purpose; what the participants will do; possible risks and benefits; statements informing they may refuse to participate with no penalty; confidentiality; encouragement to ask questions; contact information; signature lines for both parties.