Ethics in Research Based out of texts by Neuman and Babbie.

Ethics in Research

Based out of texts by Neuman and Babbie

NOBODY STARTS OUT INTENDING TO VIOLATE ETHICAL CODES

Ethics of Omission – the parts of science done wrongly

Research as Pressure Cooker

1. Research2. Publish3. Prestige4. ????5. Profit!

Scientific Misconduct

• Unintentional (Misfeasance)– Sloppy work– Careless mistakes– Rushed quality control

• Intentional (Malfeasance)– Falsification– Fabrication– Misrepresentation– Plagiarism

• Don’t ruin it for the rest of us!

• Climate research controversy, England

Trust in

you

Power

over them

Big Questions

• Are we ever justified in risking harm or injury to participants?

Basic Principles

• No unnecessary harm• No irreversible harm• Consent:– Prior– Informed– Voluntary

• Never release data• Small compensation if any

Kinds of Harm: Physical

• Medical research

• Even some social research!

Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments

• 1929 (pre-penicillin) – 1972

• Advanced cases left untreated

• Presidential apology 1992

US Govt. Experiments

• Late 1940s – radionuclide injections• 1950s - Fallout effects on Kodak film(!)• 1960s - LSD injections

Kinds of Harm: Psychological

• Stress, self-esteem, ethics, coercion

• E.g.: POGO off-trail make out session

• The most subtle: even survey question range effects!– E.g., Salary questions

Zimbardo (Stanford) Prison Experiment• 1970s, 2 week

setup• De-individualized

prisoners vs. guards

• Basement prison• Breakdown within

36 hours• 6 days,

termination

Milgram Experiments• How did the Nazis get so

evil? 1960s

• Rigged randomization/setup– Conspirator in chair– Subject at dial– Conspirator with subject,

commanding

• Extreme emotional duress

Deception

• Never preferred• Used to ensure validity for sensitive tests• Socially acceptable response bias• Washington State shooting tragedy (1973)

• Covert observation– Public vs. private

Kinds of Harm: Legal

• Illegal behaviors

• Subpoena

• DOJ waivers

Tearoom Trade, 1970

• Laud Humphreys• Public restrooms in parks• Homosexual encounters• Watchqueen• License plates• Police & public records• Health survey

Anonymity vs. Confidentiality

• Privacy: any privileged information

• Anonymity: name stripped from data– A myth these days

• Confidentiality: identifying info stripped, data access is privileged– How you protect personal information

Why Confidentiality Matters

• FBI vs. Kinsey sex study

• You may find yourself in [contempt of] court

Who Has What Personal Information

• Facebook– Name– Family– Location– Education– Political stance

How Ethics Review Protects You

Research team Peers Committee HSC IRB OMB, DHHS, NIH

Human Subjects Committee

• Advancing knowledge vs. noninterference

• Burden hours

• Specific contact protocol

Blowing the Whistle

• Applied research is usually sponsored• Forced findings, limits on methods,

suppressed findings, concealed sponsor

• Communicate clearly and early• Be sure you’re right• Understand the cost• Follow through

Getting Help

• Colleagues• Ethics review boards• Professional organization guidelines• Ombudsman

• Not the press

TOUGH DECISIONS YOU MAY FACEEthics of commission – doing science rightly for society

Limits to Your Time

• You have limited time for research

• Answer some questions

• Others go unanswered

• The question selection is on ethical basis

You Will Be Asked to Take Sides

• Your research will be used, beyond your control

• Refusing to take a position is still taking one– Status quo

• Managers often want a “button to push” from you, the expert

Questions Posed to Researchers

• How much dioxin is acceptable in breast milk?

• How much heavy metal ash can be released by this incinerator without raising the cancer risk by more than 1:10,000?

• How much grizzly habitat can be removed without harming the local grizzly population?

O’Brien (1993) BioScience 43(10)

Answering vs. Changing The Question

• Risk assessment– Serum dioxin concentration risk

• Alternatives assessment– Alternatives to dioxin-producing processes

• Tricky: funded for risk assessment, advocating for alternative assessment, data examine risk

O’Brien (1993) BioScience 43(10)

Objectivity =/= Passivity

• Almost no one on the planet is more of an expert than you on your specific research

• Work with a public interest group• Do relevant projects• Serve on task forces and committees

O’Brien (1993) BioScience 43(10)