Chapter 3 Research Ethics

Discuss the purposes of institutional review boards and codes of professional ethics

The purpose of the IRBs and code of professional ethics are to ensure the three principles from the 1974 Belmont Report are maintained. To establish guidelines and prevent unethical research

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

a review board that determines if the risks are acceptable and worth the benefits of the research, and whether the procedures to be used include adequate safeguards regarding the safety, confidentiality, and general welfare of human subjects

identify and describe the 3 ethical for conducting human subjects research that the 1974 Belmont Report details

1. Respect for persons - must be allowed to make their own decisions and participation must be voluntary. 2. Benificence - should do no harm to participants and seek to produce benefits 3. Justice - the benefits and burdens of participating should be evenly distributed.

what is the difference between anonymity and confidentiality

Anonymity means even the researcher does not know the identity of the subject, confidentiality means the researcher knows, but does not disclose.

provide at least 3 situations in research which can give rise to unique ethical challenges

Staff Misbehavior, Research Causes Crime, Withholding Desirable Treatments, Mandatory Reporting

Discuss the ethical issues and controversies surrounding the Tearoom Trade Study and the Stanford Prison Experiment

TTS - lack of anonymity/confidentiality, deceit, SPE - physical harm, lack of information regarding procedures,

identify what major types of research are exempt from full institutional IRB review

research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, use of educational tests, research involving the data collection or study of existing data, research and demonstration projects which are conducted by or subject to the approval of Department or Agency heads.

3 major groups at potential risk for physical harm

researchers, research subjects, and third parties being harmed by the subjects

Confidentiality

means the researcher is able to link information with a given person's identity but essentially promises not to do so publicly

2 major sources of legal problems

obstruction of justice or failure to report criminal activity and actually participation in illegal or criminal activity

Discuss what details should be contained in an informed consent form (handout)

the length of time, risks associated, explanation and guarantee of anonymity or confidentiality, the identification, association, and sponsorship of research and contact information, voluntariness of participation and ability to terminate participation, any alternative procedures, any benefits, and offer to provide a free copy of the research findings

Anonymity

when the researcher cannot associate a given piece of information with the person