Ethics & Communication Ethics & Communication Research Research Today’s Class: • Brief overview of history & traditions of research with human subjects, some famous cases that influenced standards & policies about research ethics • current situation at SFU & in Canada (guest : Gary McCarron, member of SFU REB) • Presentations of readings • Planning 2 nd round of reading presentations • Discussion of research design assignment and strategies for planning final term paper
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Ethics & Communication Research Today’s Class: Brief overview of history & traditions of research with human subjects, some famous cases that influenced.
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Ethics & Communication ResearchEthics & Communication ResearchEthics & Communication ResearchEthics & Communication Research
Today’s Class:• Brief overview of history & traditions of research with human
subjects, some famous cases that influenced standards & policies about research ethics
• current situation at SFU & in Canada (guest : Gary McCarron, member of SFU REB)
• Presentations of readings• Planning 2nd round of reading presentations• Discussion of research design assignment and strategies for
planning final term paper
Historical Practices as Contexts for Historical Practices as Contexts for Emergence of Ethical GuidelinesEmergence of Ethical Guidelines
• History: idea of human subject protection relatively new
• Medical & Psychological Experiments • Examples Questionable Ethics in research
Why Be Ethical? (Motivations)Why Be Ethical? (Motivations)Why Be Ethical? (Motivations)Why Be Ethical? (Motivations)• Researcher’s personal &
scholarly values• Guides to Best Practices,
– codes of ethics --professional associations
– Legislation– Requirements of Funding
Agencies• Even with good intentions
researchers can make mistakes
Stanford Prison Experiment “debriefing”: One of the most abused prisoners, #416, and the guard known as "John Wayne", who was one of the most abusive guards, confront each other in an "encounter session" two months later.
Motivations for unethical research
–Career pressure– Ego (“knowing the right answer”)–Political agendas (ex. P. Rushton on race)– cheaper, faster, career advancement,
Informed Consent StatementsInformed Consent Statements(some points to cover)(some points to cover)
• purpose & procedure of study• Potential risks and discomfort• Provisions for anonymity and confidentiality• researcher’s address and source of information• statement of voluntary nature of participation and
ability to withdraw at any time• alternative procedures• Provisions for compensation (or not)• offer to provide summary of findings• Sample form from SFU (Office of Research Ethics)
Examples of Scientific Misconduct: Fabricating or “Fudging” Data
• Canadian Example:– Dr. R. Chandra (Memorial University)
• Seniors’ memory and multivitamins• Infant allergies & baby formulas
– No evidence of health benefits, no data-- BUT Chandra held the patent on the multivitamins
• Other examples:– http://www.onlineethics.org/Education/precollege/sc
• “Depression-era U.S. poster advocating early syphilis treatment. Although treatments were available, participants in the study did not receive them.”
Ethics & LegalityEthics & LegalityTypology of Legal and Moral Typology of Legal and Moral
Actions in ResearchActions in Research
Ethical TreatmentEthical Treatment of Research Subjects of Research Subjects
Types of HarmTypes of Harm• physical harm• psychological abuse, stress, loss of self-
esteem• legal harm• other possible forms of harm – financial, G.P.A. , etc.– creation of inequities– denial of treatment– placebos in experimental research
Milgram obedience study• “Illustration of the setup of
a Milgram experiment. The experimenter (E) convinces the subject ("Teacher" T) to give what he believes are painful electric shocks to another subject, who is actually an actor ("Learner" L). Many subjects continued to give shocks despite pleas of mercy from the actors.”
• Nicholson, Ian (2011) “Shocking Masculinity. Stanley Milgram, ‘Obedience to Authority’ and the Crisis of Manhood in Cold War America” ISIS. (June 2011) 102(2): 238-268.
“emasculating the victim” Decline –’inner-directed masculinity breaks down’
Zimbardo –Stanford prison experiment
Stanford Prison Experiment “debriefing”: One of the most abused prisoners, #416, and the guard known as "John Wayne", who was one of the most abusive guards, confront each other in an "encounter session" two months later.
• www.prisonexp.org• Another Zimbardo link• Film clips from Quiet
Rage
Film: Quiet Rage: The Standford Prison Experiment Bennett Media Collection BF 80.7 U62 S73 2005
Newer Approaches Raise
More Nuanced Concerns
• Cultural Taboos & rights – sharing secret or sacred
knowledge– Owning one’s stories
• Institutional Constraints vs. Subject’s wishes – What if subject WANTS to
be identified?• Practical Complexities &
Political or Moral Commitments – Counting Refugees
Pansy Napangardi painting a Dreaming
Other Examples: Portrayals of Victims, Photography of Street Life & things
• Tip Sheet on how to portray famine victims with dignity (Reuters)– http://www.alertnet.org/thefacts/
reliefresources/112669600053.html
• Photography of Street Life in Canada– The Duclos Affair & Quebec law
• FOIPOP (Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act)
• Should researchers always respect confidentiality?• Laws require reporting of information about plans to
commit illegal acts • Challenge??: What happens when researcher’s
promises conflict with the law?• SFU regulations—limits to protection of researchers
(reference case: assisted suicide study by SFU grad. student):• Russel Ogden v. SFU (c. 1994) http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/OgdenPge.htm• Russel Ogden Decision Review (1998) http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/ogden.htm
Ethics & Ethics & the Scientific Community:the Scientific Community:
Codes of Ethics & Other standardsCodes of Ethics & Other standards• guide, control & regulate members• protect researchers from outside pressures• protect others from irresponsible
practitioners• New Tri-council Policy on ‘serious breaches’
– Tamburri, R. “Tri-council changes policy to curtail incidents of academic fraud” Univeristy Affairs, Feb. 2012,pp 34-35 or onlinehttp://www.universityaffairs.ca/tri-council-changes-policy-to-curtail-incidents-of-academic-fraud.aspx
Ethical Issues Ethical Issues related to Research Sponsorsrelated to Research Sponsors
• balancing allegiances• “cooking” results unintentionally (the Lake
Wobegon Effect)• biases from limits on conditions &
resources• suppressing findings• concealing the sponsor
How Society & GovernmentHow Society & Government Shape Research Shape Research
• legislation• “politically correct” or “safe” topics• control of access to data (gatekeepers)• biases in government statistics• issues:– censorship, public opinion– national security– public good– funding priorities of government granting agencies
Ethical Debates about Ethical Debates about Research FindingsResearch Findings
• “models of relevance”– no net effects, positive & negative effects,
special constituencies• control over use of findings• control of raw data– especially subject information
• academic freedom– autonomy of research
Ethics and Basic IdeasEthics and Basic Ideas about Science & Research about Science & Research
ParadigmsParadigms– Objective ?
opposed to subjective, logical, rational not arbitrary – value free ?
amoral, neutral, not prejudiced – unbiased ?
nonrandom error eliminated, not influenced by personal or cultural values
Ethics & Practical Aspects of Research Ethics & Practical Aspects of Research Relations: Colleagues & BossesRelations: Colleagues & Bosses
and the Research Process and the Research Process
• getting along with others as part of research• main source of conflict: sharing recognition &
workload & resources
Common types of relationshipsCommon types of relationships (university researchers) (university researchers)
• student-student (teamwork, study groups, classmates)• student-professor (class relationships, research
assistantships, teaching)• research &/or authorship teams (junior & senior
authors, questions of recognition and remuneration)• employee/employer relationships (authorship,
remuneration,)• sponsors/funding organizations
– Controversy about influence of corporate funders:• U. Toronto, pharmaceutrical funding & Dr. Nancy Olivieri