Ethics

Question 1

What is the study of ethics

Answer 1

study of) the standards for what are the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ things do.

Question 2

What is the basis for your own ethical decisions?

Answer 2

a) I consider my duties as a responsible agent and consider the rights of those affected by my actions.
b) I weigh the positive and negative outcomes of my actions and try to do as much good as possible.

Question 3

Ethical frameworks

2

Answer 3

Deontological ethics
Consequentialist ethics

In practise, ethical standards reflect both deontological, thinking and consequentialist considerations

Question 4

Deontological ethics

Answer 4

duty-’ or ‘rights-based’ ethics. Actions are considered ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ depending on whether they are consistent with the ‘duties’ of the agent and the ‘rights’ of those affected by the actions.

Question 5

Consequentialist ethics

Answer 5

outcome-based’ ethics. Actions are considered ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ following the ‘weighing’ of their positive and negative outcomes. Example: utilitarianism, aiming to achieve maximal happiness for the greatest number.

Question 6

Which psychologist is associated with deontological ethics?

Answer 6

Immanuel Kant

1724-1804

Question 7

Which psychologist is associated with consequentialist ethics?

Answer 7

Jeremy Bentham

1748-1832

Question 8

Some ethical challenges for scientists/psychologists

Answer 8

•Research conduct
- Subjects (humans & animals)
- Data collection, handling and publication
- Conflicts of interest
•Public relations
•Application of psychological knowledge

Question 9

Who are the research ‘subjects’ in psychology

Answer 9

Humans

Animals

Question 10

Research involving human participants

•Guiding principles:

Answer 10

Autonomy and protection of the human participant

Question 11

Research involving human participants

Historical milestones:

Answer 11

-Nuremberg Code, Nuremberg military tribunal 1947 – especial emphasis on informed consent
-Declaration of Helsinki, World Medical Association 1963 (last revision 2013) – based on Nuremberg Code, relaxation of the requirement for informed consent
Most recent version: World Medical Association, 2013, JAMA 310(20):2191-2194. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.281053

•Nowadays regulated by law of the land and professional codes of conduct

Question 12

What do you think does the ethical code of the BPS require concerning research involving human participants?

Answer 12

a) Incentives (e.g., payment) to take part.
b) Harm to participants must be avoided.
c) Informed consent whenever possible.
d) Participants should not be personally acquainted with researcher.

Question 13

BPS ethical principles for research with human participants

Answer 13

Respect for autonomy and dignity of participants

➢Harm to participants must be avoided and all risks carefully assessed

➢Informed consent

➢Debriefing

Question 14

Research involving animals

Answer 14

• Psychological research may involve animals to study fundamental behavioural/cognitive mechanisms or the neurobiological mechanisms of behaviour.
• In many studies, animals are used because ethical considerations rule out that these experiments are conducted on humans.

Question 15

What do you think is the current situation concerning animal research in UK?

Answer 15

There are strict legal regulations concerning research on animals.

Question 16

Research involving animals

•Guiding principles:

Answer 16

• Principles of humane experimentation, The Three Rs (Russel & Burch, 1956)
  ‘Refinement’, i.e. reduction in severity of inhumane procedures
  ‘Reduction’ in the number of animals used
  ‘Replacement’ of highly sentient animals whenever possible
  -Animal welfare: husbandry must meet animals’ needs!

Question 17

Research involving animals

Strict legal regulation:

Answer 17

• In the UK, all animal experiments involving vertebrates and the octopus are regulated by the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
• Law requires researchers to follow principles of Three Rs and animal welfare.
• Animal research is only permitted if performed in ‘designated establishments’, under the remit of ‘project licences’ by researchers that have completed accredited training programmes to obtain a ‘personal licence’. Designation certificates and licences are controlled by the Home Office.
• Primates, cats, dogs and horses have extra protection as compared to other vertebrates.

Question 18

Data collection, data handling and publication biases:

Answer 18

Falsification or ‘cooking’ research data
Failing to present data that contradicts ones own previous research
Publishing the same data or results in two or more publications
Inappropriately assigning authorship credit

Question 19

Data collection, data handling, publication: some guidel

Answer 19

•Take pleasure in your research and in finding things out!
Take pride in and responsibility for any research you are involved in!

• All steps of data collection and treatment must be carefully documented (including problems, e.g. lost data).
• Data must be stored in such a way that they can be retrieved for later verification.
• ALL research results should be published whenever possible, so as to give an accurate and reliable account of findings and their reproducability.
• Authorship implies:
• important contribution to planning, execution, or evaluation of research
• contribution to manuscript and approval of (i.e., responsibility for) final version

Question 20

Conflict of interest

Answer 20

Any situation in which financial or personal considerations have potential to compromise scientific or professional conduct.

Examples:
Researcher may financially benefit from specific research outcome.
Peer-reviewer wants to get research funded/published that is very similar to the one he/she assesses.
Peer-reviewer has personal relation to author or applicant.
Examiner has personal relation to examinee.

Question 21

Declarations of conflicts of interest

Answer 21

Conflicts of interest are common. To minimize any negative impact, such conflicts should always be carefully considered and be dealt with openly.
Many academic journals and funding agencies require a ‘declaration of commercial/financial conflicts of interest’ from authors, applicants for funding, and peer reviewers.

Question 22

Public relations

Answer 22

•Research is largely funded by the public, and researchers should strive to give the interested public access to research.
So, please go out and talk about your studies and research to members of the public!!!

•Problem: scientific knowledge is not easily accessible for lay persons, and there is huge potential for misunderstanding!

Question 23

Misrepresentation of the outcomes of a dissertation project

Answer 23

Researchers not only have the responsibility to make their research accessible to the public, but must also take care that the research is not misrepresented!