Ethics in Social Psychology
(Adapted from UW Human
Subjects Division Slides)
Ethics Overview
• What is the Institutional Review Board
• Why do we need it (history)
• What is the process of getting a research
study approved
• Conducting ethical research
• Quick activity
Institutional Review Board
• Ensure safe and ethical research with people
• Protect the welfare and rights of subjects
• IRB has the authority to:
– Approve studies
– Require modifications
– Disapprove studies
Institutional Review Board
Committee
• Federal level – need 5 members
• UW – has 9 members
•
•
•
•
•
1 Scientist
1 Non-affiliated/community member
1 Non-scientist
1 Student (UW)
Other members with expertise to review
research
What do IRB committees look for?
1. Risk of harm versus potential benefits of
study
2. Protecting subject’s privacy and
confidentiality (recruitment and data
management)
3. Consent process
Why?
Lessons from Biomedical Research
Nazi War Crimes
Tuskegee Syphilis
Study (1932-1972)
Behavioral research – just as
culpable?
Milgram Study
Zimbardo Stanford
Prison Study
Behavioral research – just as
culpable?
• Foulks (1979) – Alcoholism in Barrow, Alaska
– Small community
– NYT published article “Alcohol plagues Eskimos”
– Controversy over reinforcing drunken Alaskan
Native stereotype and revealing identities
Belmont Report (1979)
Basic Ethical Principles
1. Respect for persons (autonomy, protection of
those with limited autonomy)
2. Beneficence (maximize benefits and minimize
harm)
3. Justice (reasonable procedures that are
administered fairly)
What is research?
1. Are you doing research?
A systematic investigation, including research
development, testing, and evaluation, designed
to develop or contribute to generalizable
knowledge.
2. Are you doing research with humans?
A living individual whom the investigator obtains
data from interaction or identifiable private info.
Types of research and levels of
review
• Exempt – no or very little risk to subjects
• Minimal risk – no more risk than encountered
by the average person in his/her daily
activities
• Full review – more risk than would typically be
encountered by average person in daily
activities
• Not human subjects research – e.g., for class,
can’t publish
Parts of an IRB application
• Purpose – what are you trying to find out?
• Subjects – who will be involved in your study?
• Procedures – what EXACTLY are you going to
to do?
• Data – where is it from? What is it? Who is it
from? How it being collected? How is it kept?
• Consent
Consent
• Explains the study in a manner
understandable to subjects
• Written in a 6th-8th grade level, with
adjustments for children
• In a language subjects can understand
• Also what does participating or not
participating mean for the subject
• There’s also information sheets
Not just when collecting data:
Also analyzing data and writing!
• Examples
– Plagiarism (e.g., M. Constantine in 2008)
– Fabricating data (e.g., D. Stapel this year)
• Unethical research affects integrity of the field
Conducting ethical research
• Some principles
– Honesty
– Objectivity
– Carefulness
– Openness
– Confidentiality
– Responsible publication
– Social responsibility
More info on research ethics
• UW Forum on Science Ethics & Policy
• UW Dept of Philosophy on Values in Society
• UW Dept of Bioethics (School of Medicine)
Exam Information*
• Next Wednesday (1 hour)
• 25 Multiple Choice Questions
• Lecture, reading, & assignments are fair game
– Including study of the day and guest lecturers
Exam Information*
• What is social psychology all about?
• Important terminology
• Understanding and interpreting experimental
findings and process
• Many of the questions will be applications of
what you have learned, not just memory
– Read about the design of a novel experiment and
identify variables or appropriate conclusions
Example
When following the scientific method, results of
an experiment may lead to:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Proof of a theory
Increased confidence in a theory
Both A & B
Neither A nor B