Conducting EthicalResearch

Chapter 3

I. Codes of Research Ethics

What is/are ethics?

Ethical concerns permeate every aspect of the research process.

Is the potential benefit to society strong enough to warrant the potential risk to the subject?

The Nuremberg Code (1947)

•Set of ethical principles essential for medical experiments to be “permissible” (also applies to behavioural research)

•Voluntary consent with freedom to withdraw at any time

• Information prior to giving consent about research purpose and potential risks

•Avoidance of unnecessary risk

•Results should be of sufficient value to outweigh risks to participants

•Qualified scientists must conduct the research

The Tuskegee Experiment

• 1932 – 1972•US Public Health Service

The Belmont Report – 1979• applicable to human research conducted

in the US• Respect • Beneficence• Justice

APA Ethics Code (2010)

• Beneficence and nonmaleficence• Fidelity and responsibility • Integrity• Justice • Respect

ETHICAL STANDARDS IN HUMAN RESEARCH

Tri-council policy for ethical conduct for research involving humans

• CIHR• NSERC• SSHRC

Basic Principles:• Respect for Human Dignity • Respect for Free and Informed Consent• Respect for Vulnerable Persons• Respect for Privacy and Confidentiality• Respect for Justice and Inclusiveness• Balancing Harms and Benefits

• Minimizing Harm• Maximizing Benefit

Canada

CPA

•protect and promote the welfare of participants;

•avoid doing harm to participants;

•not carry out any studies unless the probable benefit is proportionately greater than the risk;

•provide informed consent;

•ensure privacy and confidentiality

2000 (3rd edition)

Institutional Review Boards:The IRB

Exempt Expedited Full Review

Institutional Review: The IRB @ Sfu

at SFU Research Ethics Board (REB)• is a committee of Senate• consists of 20 voting members• includes members from each faculty,

graduate students, undergraduate students and four community members

• three categories of applications:• minimal-risk• greater-than-minimal-risk• course

Types of Harm

• Physical harm (e.g., pain)

• Psychological harm (e.g., anxiety)

• Social harm and loss of privacy (e.g., sensitive information disclosed)

• Economic or legal harm (e.g., accident after research-induced sleep deprivation)

Considered in judging degree of risk to participants

Informed Consent

• people have the right to make a voluntary, informed decision about whether to participate in a study

• for research that involves vulnerable populations informed consent is made by the legal guardian with assent given by the participant

Basic Elements of Informed Consent

1. Purpose and nature of research

2. Anticipated risks, discomforts, adverse effects

3. Anticipated benefits

4. Alternative procedures or treatments

5. Confidentiality and limits to confidentiality

6. Incentives and compensation

7. Contact information

8. Voluntary participation and freedom to discontinue participation

Other Aspects of Informed Consent

• Allowing Subjects To Withdraw

• Data Confidentiality

Deception

Passive deception: • Researchers withhold info that might

influence participants’ decision to provide informed consent

Active deception

• Researchers mislead participants about some aspect of a study

Debriefing

Dehoaxing• revealing the true purpose of the study

Desensitizing • reducing stress in the subjects

Prevention of Contamination

Ethics -- Risk Assessment

• study designed to examine the relationship between personal space and arousal

• three levels of personal space• close distance• moderate distance• control

Middlemist, Knowles, and Matter (1976)

Ethical Issues in Nonhuman Animal Research

•Why is psychological research conducted on animals?

•Animals Used In Psychological Research

Ethical Issues in Nonhuman Animal Research

•Inherent/Fundamental Rights Perspective•Utilitarian Perspective

•Animal Welfare Act (US)•Care of Animals (CPA)

Ethical perspectives and attitudes (Herzog)

SFU

University Animal Care Committee

• Ethical standards for animal research revolve around •Reduction•of # of animals used in research

•Refinement •care and procedures to minimize pain

•Replacement •animals in research

Scientific Integrity

• Avoiding False or Deceptive Statements

• Reporting Research Results Ethically

• Plagiarism