Book Link 15 Ethics
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By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Discuss how research involving human subjects is regulated
- Summarize the processes of informed consent and debriefing
- Explain how research involving animal subjects is regulated
Learning Objective 1:
Research involving human subjects is regulated by ethical guidelines and laws to ensure the protection and rights of the participants.
This includes obtaining informed consent from the participants, which involves providing them with detailed information about the research, its purpose, procedures, and potential risks and benefits.
Researchers must also ensure that the participants have the capacity to understand the information provided and are voluntarily agreeing to participate.
Institutional review boards (IRBs) play a crucial role in overseeing research involving human subjects to ensure compliance with ethical standards and regulations.
Learning Objective 2:
The process of informed consent is essential in research involving human subjects to uphold ethical standards. It involves providing potential participants with all the necessary information about the research study, allowing them to make an informed decision about whether to participate.
Informed consent forms should be written in a clear and understandable language, and participants should be given the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarifications.
Debriefing is another critical process that occurs after the research study, where participants are provided with additional information about the study and its findings. This allows participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of the research and its implications.
Learning Objective 3:
Research involving animal subjects is regulated through ethical guidelines and laws aimed at ensuring the humane and ethical treatment of animals. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs) are responsible for reviewing and overseeing research protocols involving animal subjects to ensure compliance with ethical standards and regulations.
Researchers are required to minimize potential pain and distress to animals, use the least number of animals necessary for valid results, and provide appropriate housing and care for the animals involved in the research. Additionally, researchers must consider alternatives to animal research whenever possible and ensure that the potential benefits of the research justify the use of animal subjects.
Important Ethics Topics for Psychology Professionals
The psychology code of ethics outlines the ethical principles and standards that psychologists and researchers are expected to uphold in their work. It covers areas such as informed consent, confidentiality, avoiding harm, and respecting the autonomy and dignity of individuals. The code of ethics serves as a guide for ethical decision-making and professional conduct in the field of psychology.
CITI certification, which stands for Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative, provides researchers and professionals with comprehensive training in research ethics and regulatory guidelines. This certification program covers various topics such as human subjects research, animal research, data privacy, and responsible conduct of research. CITI certification is important as it helps individuals gain a thorough understanding of ethical considerations and regulatory requirements in research, ensuring that they conduct their work in a responsible and ethical manner.
The Belmont Report holds significant importance in the field of research ethics as it outlines the fundamental ethical principles for the protection of human subjects in research. It emphasizes three core principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. The report has had a lasting impact on the ethical conduct of research involving human subjects and serves as a foundational document for the development of ethical guidelines and regulations in research institutions and organizations. It highlights the importance of considering the rights and well-being of research participants and has significantly influenced the ethical framework for research involving human subjects.
Summary
In research, it’s important to treat people and animals ethically. For studies involving people, researchers must get permission from the participants and make sure they understand the study. They also need to look out for the participants’ well-being and follow rules set by review boards. After the study, participants should be given more information about the research.
When working with animals, researchers must minimize their pain and take good care of them. They should also use as few animals as possible and consider alternatives to using animals.
In psychology, professionals have a code of ethics to follow, which includes getting permission from people, keeping their information private, and not causing harm.
Researchers and professionals can get training in research ethics through programs like CITI certification.
Additionally, the Belmont Report outlines important ethical principles for protecting people in research. This report has had a big impact on how research is done and has influenced the rules for research involving people.