Research Design and Ethics in Psychology

Module 0.5

Learning Targets

• LT 0.5-1

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• LT 0.5-2

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• LT 0.5-3

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• LT 0.5-4

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Explain why psychologists study animals, and describe the ethical research guidelines that safeguard human and animal welfare.

Describe how psychologists’ values influence what they study and how they apply their results.

Explain the value of simplified laboratory conditions in illuminating everyday life.

Explain the process of determining which research design to use.

Can Lab Experiments Predict Real Life?

• Yes!
• Focus on the overriding principles learned from the experiment not just the specific findings.
• Principles can be used to predict behavior in most people.
• There are always individual exceptions.

Research Design

Psychological researchers must decide how they want to measure the behavior or mental processes being studied. There are two methods:

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• Quantitative Research methods – use numerical data to represent degrees of a variable.
• Example: Likert Scales (rate from 1 to 5)
• Qualitative Research methods – in-depth, narrative data
• Example: structured interviews

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The two methods often complement each other and are both widely used in psychological research.

Ethics:�Animal Research

Reasons for Animal Research

• Interest in animal behavior as a topic of study
• Data from animal studies may apply to humans.
• Easier to do some type of studies (genetics) due to the shorter life span of animals

Reasons for Animal Research

• Easier to exercise more control over experiments with animals as compared to humans
• Procedures that are not ethical to perform on humans may be considered acceptable when performed on animals
• Often, animals benefit directly from research

Care of Animals used in Research

• Animals used in research must:
• Have clean housing with adequate ventilation
• Have appropriate food
• Be well cared for
• APA: must have comfort, health, & humane treatment and minimize infection, illness & pain.

Ethics:�Human Research�(Four Basic Principles)�www.apa.org/ethics�

1. Informed Consent

• Participants must be informed, in advance, about:
• the general nature of the research, and
• any potential risk.
• Participants must have the right to refuse participation or withdraw at any time.

2. Right to be Protected from Harm and Discomfort

• Studies involving harm or discomfort may be conducted only under certain circumstances, and only with the informed consent of the participants.

3. Right of Confidentiality

• Individual data about research participants should never be discussed or released.

4. Right to Debriefing

• Participants have a right to receive a complete explanation of the research at the end of the study.
• This is extremely important if the research involves deception.

Not that kind of debriefing!

What’s unethical in this clip?

Dr. Venkman’s “Psychic” Experiment

Click above to view (2:10)

Examine the Concept Answers

• Quantitative uses numerical data and quantitative uses narrative data
• Informed consent gives potential participants enough information about the study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate. Debriefing is the post experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deception to its participants.