Concerning Ethical Case Studies and the APA Ethical Guidelines
First take a look at the 3 Case Studies below.
Study 1 concerns Watson’s famous Little Albert. Although we all know the story of Little Albert we may not have read Watson and Rayner’s original 1920’s study. Take into consideration the context and spirit of the times or Zeitgeist if you will when analyzing this study and the next one.http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Watson/emotion.htm
Study 2 tells the story of Wendell Johnson or more specifically Mary Tudor’s study of children in an orphanage in Iowa. It’s called the Monster Study for a reason as you will see.The Monster Study
Study 3 concerns Seligman and Maier’s (1967) Learned Helplessness study. Again it helps to read these original studies when possible so we can form our own judgments.http://psych.hanover.edu/classes/learning/papers/seligman%20maier%201967.pdf
Your assignment: Please read over these studies and select one to analyze.
You will need to first review APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Read the below module.You will find ethical considerations to current events and historical studies and understand more fully the reasonwhywe need the ethical principles.
Next in your analysis give some background information and then tell us which of the General Principles and/or which Ethical Standard was violated and explain why. Do you think that the study you choose would be approved by an IRB today? Why do you think the study was allowed or tolerated at the time?
Ethical Guidelines and Considerations
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Here is an overview of the concerns associated with research and human subjects. We hope to stimulate your thinking about this important topic.
Think about this:
Corporate Scandals
The Enron WorldCom ImClone and Adelphia companies sent shock waves throughout our economic fabric. Whether the corporate scandals were individually orchestrated or institutionally ignored the public trust was shattered yet again.
Governmental Abuses
The White House the intelligence services and Congress are locked into a war of blame associated with the tragic events of 9/11 and subsequent actions. Public trust is once again being challenged.
Personal Failures and State Secrets
Martha Stewart Janet Jackson Michael Jackson Jayson Blair and Jack Kelly all have stirred a variety of emotions among fans and followers. Whether the failing in question is cheating performing provocative behaviors or lying the public is again assailed with trust-breaking behaviors.
Trust is one of the critical components of research and it appears to be in short supply. As researchers we face increasing difficulties in convincing potential participants to trust us.
Background Review
In 1946 the world learned of even more brutality and indifference to human life during a trial of those who had sworn primum non nocere(first do no harm). Numerous incidents of inhumane experiments and countless cases of euthanasia resulted in the conviction of 16 doctors. Seven were executed.
The Nuremberg Code of 1947established specific guidelines for the medical profession in conducting research. These included voluntary consent a requirement that the results cannot be obtained in other ways and a requirement that subjects can terminate their participation.
The Helsinki Declaration of 1964provided very clear guidelines for biomedical practitioners. It also stipulated that independent committees should review certain research efforts.
TheBelmont Reportwas the seminal document in later efforts to establish legal obligations for biomedical and behavioral research. The report was in response to tasking by the National Research Act of 1974. The report provided the public and researchers with clear principles and guidelines about ethical behaviors with human subjects. The report also outlined the mechanics of informed consent.
TheAmerican Psychological Associationestablished ethical standards in 1953. Since then 10 revisions have occurred. Thecurrent (2010) versionprovides practitioners with guidelines covering most (some would argue too many) professional activities.
Federal Law State Law Professional Organizations
45 CFR 46 a result of the Belmont Report provides very clear and definitive guidance for those performing research with human subjects.
The federal regulation addresses the mechanics and process of ethical research. It covers
The state of Maryland is one of a number of states that have enactedlaws to protect human subjects.
Additionally many professional organizations like the APA and theAmerican Medical Association have established ethical codes of conduct that are often more restrictive than federal and state laws.
Federal law is clear: If you conduct research associated with federal money or support you must comply. If you conduct research that is within the scope of the department or agency but is not supported then the effort must be scrutinized by an IRB.
Maryland state law is a bit clearer; if human subjects participate in the research then compliance with the federal regulations (45 CFR 46) is mandatory.
Ethical Challenges
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study (1932)-399 African-American men infected with syphilis were denied medical treatment so researchers could document the natural history of the disease.
Milgram’s Obedience to Authority Experiments (1961-1962)-Stanley Milgram conducted research that resulted in a finding that 65 percent of the participants were willing to administer a shock that would deliver a potentially lethal electrical voltage to a participant.
Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment (1971)-Philip Zimbardo conducted an experiment that created a situation that altered individuals’ normal social behaviors in sadistic and torturous behaviors. The additional problem was that the researcher became so involved with the research that he was unable to see what was occurring until an outsider pointed it out.
Virginia Commonwealth University Research Program (2000)-A concerned father inadvertently learned several questions on a survey in a research project that his daughter was participating in. One question asked if her father ever suffered from depression which in and of itself wasn’t overly objectionable. The second question was about whether the father had abnormal genitalia. After receiving inadequate responses to his requests for more information from both the researcher and the administration of VCU he went to the FDA. VCU had to shut down 1100 federally funded programs costing around $10 million while each was reviewed to ensure compliance with federal law.
Johns Hopkins University/Kennedy KriegerLead Paint Experiment(2001)-the Maryland Court of Appeals overturned lower court findings. Researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute were monitoring lead levels in children in homes with known lead paint. This reversal placed JHU on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services radar screen for review.
PolyHeme Study (2004)-PolyHeme was experimenting on the effectiveness of artificial blood. The experiment used victims of catastrophic events who would die without intervention without the participants’ consent. The justification was that the individuals would die without this transfusion. By the way VCU Hospital was trying to be one of the participating institutions.
Violations of the APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
Every year in compliance with federal law nonprofit organizations are required to produce a report to members. Part of the APA’s yearly report includes reporting information from the various internal committees and departments. The Ethics Office within the Executive Office provides a yearly notice that indicates those APA members who were either expelled or who resigned from the APA because of verified or possible violations of the APA’sEthical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.