Ethics in Research Tristram Jones, Ph.D. PS512 Unit II.

Ethics in ResearchEthics in Research

Tristram Jones, Ph.D.Tristram Jones, Ph.D.PS512 Unit IIPS512 Unit II

Behavioral research was not Behavioral research was not always the sweet, gentle always the sweet, gentle

discipline it is today!discipline it is today! TheThe Milgram experiment on Milgram experiment on

obedience to authority obedience to authority figuresfigures was a series of was a series of social psychology social psychology experiments conducted by experiments conducted by psychologist Stanley psychologist Stanley Milgram at Yale University Milgram at Yale University in the early 1960s. which in the early 1960s. which measured the willingness measured the willingness of study participants to of study participants to obey an authority figure obey an authority figure who instructed them to who instructed them to perform acts that conflicted perform acts that conflicted with their personal with their personal conscience. conscience.

The very roots of behavioral study The very roots of behavioral study seemed tainted with cruelty!seemed tainted with cruelty!

John B Watson spent a good deal of 1920 scaring the heck out of a year-old baby named Little Albert at Johns Hopkins!

The secret sideThe secret side ofof PAVLOVPAVLOV

'History of the Brain‘ aired on BBC4 'History of the Brain‘ aired on BBC4 showing Pavlov also did showing Pavlov also did experiments on children. He had experiments on children. He had holes and taps drilled into the side holes and taps drilled into the side of children’s mouths to collect of children’s mouths to collect saliva and that he experimented on saliva and that he experimented on children on reflex action.children on reflex action.

Footage exists of the children being Footage exists of the children being experimented on. It shows children with taps experimented on. It shows children with taps in the faces, plus reflex experiments. A child of in the faces, plus reflex experiments. A child of maybe 2/3 strapped down being force fed food maybe 2/3 strapped down being force fed food as part as part of a reflex experiment.of a reflex experiment.

World War II worsened the World War II worsened the scientific image as German scientific image as German scientists worked avidly for scientists worked avidly for

Hitler’s SSHitler’s SS

And behaviorism figured And behaviorism figured strongly in the conditioning strongly in the conditioning

of NAZI youth!of NAZI youth!

Soviet PsychiatrySoviet Psychiatry Cold War Soviet psychiatry was in the trusted hands of Dr Cold War Soviet psychiatry was in the trusted hands of Dr

Andrei Snezhnevsky for decades. He invented “creeping Andrei Snezhnevsky for decades. He invented “creeping schizophrenia” wherein schizophrenia remains latent and schizophrenia” wherein schizophrenia remains latent and until it blossoms as political dissidence. Exiled Writer until it blossoms as political dissidence. Exiled Writer Vladimir Bukovsky, now at Cambridge University, notes: Vladimir Bukovsky, now at Cambridge University, notes: "This means nobody knows whether he is schizophrenic or "This means nobody knows whether he is schizophrenic or not unless Professor Snezhnevsky diagnoses it." not unless Professor Snezhnevsky diagnoses it."

SOLUTIONS WERE OFTEN BEHAVIORAL!

Interest in what we today call Interest in what we today call ABAABA heightened during the heightened during the

Korean and Cold WarsKorean and Cold Wars

In the 1970s the In the 1970s the “brainwashing” associated “brainwashing” associated

with Stockholm Syndrome was with Stockholm Syndrome was first noted!first noted!

Undeniably, ABA is all about Undeniably, ABA is all about changing people in rather changing people in rather

dramatic ways!dramatic ways! Who decides what is Who decides what is

acceptable as change?acceptable as change? Who decides who can Who decides who can

manage this change?manage this change? What methods are ethical?What methods are ethical? How can we be sure the How can we be sure the

desired outcome is desired outcome is ethical?ethical?

What oversight exists?What oversight exists?

Walker & Shea’s GuidelinesWalker & Shea’s Guidelines:: Explore alternatives before using Explore alternatives before using

aversive interventions.aversive interventions. Consider possible side effectsConsider possible side effects See that the subject understands the See that the subject understands the

experimentexperiment Empirical evidence should indicate the Empirical evidence should indicate the

intervention will workintervention will work Informed consent must be obtainedInformed consent must be obtained Committee review of all human Committee review of all human

subjects researchsubjects research

Ethical Considerations with Ethical Considerations with ChildrenChildren

What is a child?What is a child? Can children choose?Can children choose? Where should theWhere should the change take place? change take place? Who decides what Who decides what modificationsmodifications will be attempted?will be attempted? Who decides whoWho decides who should be changed?should be changed?SINGLE SUBJECT SINGLE SUBJECT RESEARCHERS RESEARCHERS MUST CONSTANTLY ASK MUST CONSTANTLY ASK SUCH QUESTIONS!SUCH QUESTIONS!

Ethical “Musts”Ethical “Musts” Rule out other possibilities before Rule out other possibilities before

selecting aversives!selecting aversives! Consider potential side effects!Consider potential side effects! Interveners must be trained and Interveners must be trained and

familiar with the intervention.familiar with the intervention. Empirical evidence should suggest Empirical evidence should suggest

that outcome will be favorable.that outcome will be favorable. Full disclosure of all possible Full disclosure of all possible

negativesnegatives Committee review should occur!Committee review should occur!

Karen’s CodeKaren’s Code::

Six Kitchenerian ethical principlesSix Kitchenerian ethical principles:: AutonomyAutonomy: Allow self governance : Allow self governance BeneficenceBeneficence: Show kindness : Show kindness NonmaleficenceNonmaleficence: Be free of evil intent. : Be free of evil intent. JusticeJustice: Fairness, equality and truthfulness : Fairness, equality and truthfulness FidelityFidelity: Honor commitments : Honor commitments CompassionCompassion: Authentic caring and concern. : Authentic caring and concern.

Karen Kitchener got to work on the problem!

Wolf WolfensbergerWolf Wolfensberger had a cool had a cool name, and a cool idea:name, and a cool idea:

In 1972 Wolf, came up with In 1972 Wolf, came up with normalization (Social Role normalization (Social Role Valorization, or SRV). The Valorization, or SRV). The idea that all individuals no idea that all individuals no matter how disabled matter how disabled should participate in should participate in society!society!

He also came up with He also came up with “Anti-Deathmaking.”“Anti-Deathmaking.”VALORIZATION: a set of approaches

designed to enable devalued people in society to experience the Good Life. Strategies were derived from practical experience and from what research revealed, to help devalued people achieve valued social roles.

Some additional terminologySome additional terminology:: THE PRINCIPLE OF NORMALIZATIONTHE PRINCIPLE OF NORMALIZATION:: Normalization calls for the acceptance Normalization calls for the acceptance

of people with disabilities, offering of people with disabilities, offering them the same conditions as are them the same conditions as are offered to other citizens. It involves an offered to other citizens. It involves an awareness of the normal rhythm of life awareness of the normal rhythm of life – including the normal rhythm of a day, – including the normal rhythm of a day, a week, a year, and the life-cycle itself. a week, a year, and the life-cycle itself. It involves the normal conditions of life It involves the normal conditions of life – housing, schooling, employment, – housing, schooling, employment, exercise, recreation and freedom of exercise, recreation and freedom of choice. This includes “the dignity of choice. This includes “the dignity of risk”, rather than an emphasis on risk”, rather than an emphasis on “protection”. “protection”.

Essentially this is the doctrine of Essentially this is the doctrine of “the least restrictive environment”“the least restrictive environment”

And now for something completely And now for something completely different—different—whatwhat is is PREDICTIONPREDICTION??

ALWAYS PESSIMISTIC?ALWAYS PESSIMISTIC?

Prediction assumes thatPrediction assumes that

the stable DV data paththe stable DV data path

will show no appreciablewill show no appreciable

change despite phasechange despite phase

changes! (Or you may changes! (Or you may predict hypothetically!)predict hypothetically!)

What is verification???What is verification??? VERIFICATION VERIFICATION is the confirmation that the is the confirmation that the

dependent variable is defying prediction and dependent variable is defying prediction and changing when the independent variable is changing when the independent variable is applied! If you predicted conversely that your applied! If you predicted conversely that your hypothesis will be born out by the experiment, hypothesis will be born out by the experiment, then verification will confirm your hypothesis!then verification will confirm your hypothesis!

What is What is REPLICATION???REPLICATION???Replication is repeated verification and/or Replication is repeated verification and/or

prediction prediction within the same study!within the same study!

Social ValiditySocial Validity is a trendy term meaning is a trendy term meaning the the conditions of your intervention are acceptableconditions of your intervention are acceptable

and the targeted behavior is acceptable to and the targeted behavior is acceptable to change.change. Ever since

you removed my brain myfriends avoid me!

Yes, but you no longer STAMMER!

It can also mean, sadly, It can also mean, sadly, that your intervention that your intervention meets a current social meets a current social

standard!standard! In medieval In medieval

Europe Europe

this radical form this radical form of of

aversion therapy aversion therapy

displayed great displayed great

Levels of SOCIAL Levels of SOCIAL VALIDITY! VALIDITY!

And then, of course, there is And then, of course, there is ““EMPIRICAL VALIDITY!”EMPIRICAL VALIDITY!”

Comrades, are you certain this behavioral intervention will positively affect my loyalty???

Empirical validity (also called statistical or predictive validity) occurs when measurements suggest that an intervention will improve a participant’s behavior in some specific way.

Mainly Mainly wewe care about care about INTERNALINTERNAL and and EXTERNALEXTERNAL validity. validity.

InternalInternal: Are : Are you you measuring measuring the effect of the effect of your IV or your IV or something something else?else?

ExternalExternal: Will : Will your data your data generalize?generalize?

And mainly, mainly we care about And mainly, mainly we care about INTERNAL VALIDITYINTERNAL VALIDITY

Threats to which include:Threats to which include: history,history, When an event occurs at the same time as treatment and changes When an event occurs at the same time as treatment and changes

participants’ behavior, this event becomes an alternative explanation for the changes participants’ behavior, this event becomes an alternative explanation for the changes

maturation,maturation, Participants naturally change over time; these changes, Participants naturally change over time; these changes, not treatment, explain changes in participants during the experiment.not treatment, explain changes in participants during the experiment.

testing,testing, Taking a test generally affects subsequent testing; thus, Taking a test generally affects subsequent testing; thus, participants’ performance on a measure at the end of the study may differ from an participants’ performance on a measure at the end of the study may differ from an initial testinginitial testing

instrumentation,instrumentation, Instruments used to measure participants’ Instruments used to measure participants’ performance may change over time (e.g., observers may become bored or tired); performance may change over time (e.g., observers may become bored or tired); thus, changes in performance may not be due to treatment. thus, changes in performance may not be due to treatment.

regression,regression, Participants sometimes perform very well or very poorly on Participants sometimes perform very well or very poorly on a measure because of chance factors (e.g., luck). These chance factors are not a measure because of chance factors (e.g., luck). These chance factors are not likely to repeat.likely to repeat.

THERE IS ALSO OBSERVER THERE IS ALSO OBSERVER EFFECT!EFFECT! ““HawthornHawthorn

e Effect” e Effect” and and OBSERVEOBSERVER EFFECTR EFFECT::

Hawthorne effectHawthorne effect is is a form of REATIVITY a form of REATIVITY whereby subjects whereby subjects improve or modify improve or modify an aspect of their an aspect of their behavior being behavior being experimentally experimentally measured simply in measured simply in response to the fact response to the fact that they know they that they know they are being studied.are being studied.

Ahhh…the IV is DEFINITELY working!

Are yousure it’s the IV????

How do they apply in our How do they apply in our everyday lives, if at all?everyday lives, if at all?