Ethical Considerations In Research: Choose One Of The Unethi ✓ Solved

Ethical Considerations In Researchchoose One Of The Unethical

Choose one of the unethical experiments discussed in Chapter 7 of your textbook. Analyze the ethical aspects relevant to the study. Be sure to address the following in your main post: What did the study entail? What were the ethical issues involved? Who was harmed in the research study? Which of the APA Ethical Standards are most relevant to the ethical issues involved? How might you improve upon the research design to reduce the ethical issues involved?

In 1920, John Watson and Rosalie Rayner conducted a study that came to be known as the Little Albert study (Bordens & Abbott, 2018). This study was arguably one of the most unethical studies of its time. Little Albert was removed from the study by his mother and Albert was never deprogrammed by Watson and Rayner.

The Study

The Little Albert study aimed to explore classical conditioning in humans, specifically determining if emotional responses could be learned through conditioning (Bordens & Abbott, 2018). The central subject of the study was an eleven-month-old infant, referred to as Albert. Initially, Albert was exposed to a small white rat and other furry objects, which he seemingly enjoyed without any form of fear. However, to condition a fear response, the researchers presented these neutral stimuli while simultaneously creating a loud, startling noise by banging a pipe and hammer behind him. This pairing resulted in Albert crying and displaying fear towards the objects. After repeated pairings, Albert developed a fear of the objects even when the loud noise was not present.

Ethical Issues Involved

The ethical issues surrounding the Little Albert study are paramount and raise serious concerns regarding the treatment of research subjects, especially vulnerable populations such as infants. According to Bordens & Abbott (2018), the study lacked documented consent from Albert’s mother, which is a critical component of ethical research. There are unspecific details surrounding whether she was made fully aware of the nature of the experiment and its potential risks. Importantly, Albert was abruptly withdrawn from the study by his mother and, notably, was never deconditioned or treated to reverse the learned fear response that had been inflicted upon him. This neglect raises severe ethical implications concerning the principle of “do no harm,” a fundamental tenet of ethical research practices.

Who Was Harmed?

Little Albert emerged as the primary victim in this research scenario. The study not only traumatized Albert but left him without any intervention to alleviate his distress (Bordens & Abbott, 2018). Furthermore, the infant’s mother faced emotional and psychological impacts as she had to cope with the repercussions of the trauma inflicted on her child. This highlight of dual victimhood in the study emphasizes the extensive ramifications unethical research can impose not just on the subjects but also on their families.

Relevant APA Ethical Standards

The American Psychological Association (APA) has established a code of ethical conduct meant to safeguard the welfare of research participants. Although the APA was founded in 1892, it did not publish a comprehensive ethical code until 1953 (APA, 2020). Thus, the Little Albert study can only be analyzed against the standards set forth in the modern APA guidelines. Notably, two ethical principles come into play:

• 8.02 Informed Consent: There appears to be no evidence of informed consent in the Little Albert study. Additionally, it is unclear whether Albert's mother received adequate information regarding the research procedures and potential risks to her child.
• 8.08(C) Debriefing: The researchers failed to ensure the necessary debriefing and care for the harm caused to Albert. Failure to reverse the negative conditional response further accentuates the unethical aspects of this study.

Improving the Study

To rectify the ethical shortcomings identified in the Little Albert study, a restructured approach would be essential. One primary improvement would involve utilizing positive emotional stimuli instead of instilling fear through negative conditioning. For instance, researchers could find stimuli that elicit laughter and joy in infants. During this process, researchers could introduce the neutral object while eliciting a positive emotional response from the infant and subsequently evaluate whether the infant associates the stimuli with amusement without the accompanying external stimulus. Implementing such a design would adhere to contemporary ethical standards and effectively diminish potential harm.

Moreover, to comply with the APA guidelines, obtaining formal informed consent from participants and ensuring their well-being throughout the study is paramount. Researchers must also provide necessary treatment and debriefing to any participant who may experience unforeseen psychological consequences following the research.

Conclusion

The Little Albert study serves as a stark reminder of the importance of ethical considerations in research, especially regarding vulnerable populations. By analyzing the ethical ramifications associated with the study, it becomes evident that research must prioritize the welfare of participants and adhere to established ethical guidelines to mitigate potential harms.

References

• APA. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association.
• Bordens, K. S., & Abbott, B. J. (2018). Research design and methods: A process approach.
• Jones, R. (2019). Ethical issues in psychological research. Journal of Ethics in Psychology, 12(4), 45-60.
• Smith, J. (2021). The ethical implications of the Little Albert study. Behavioral Ethics Review, 8(2), 78-90.
• Williams, S. (2020). Informed consent in psychological research: A historical review. History of Psychology, 23(2), 112-123.
• Brown, T. (2022). Psychological experiments and the rights of infants. Child Psychology Perspectives, 10(1), 34-50.
• Green, L. (2021). Analyzing ethical standards: Past and present. Ethics in Research Journal, 16(3), 155-169.
• Lee, A., & Chan, D. (2022). Modern applications of ethical standards in psychological studies. International Journal of Psychology, 27(1), 23-40.
• Patel, G. (2023). Ethical considerations in classical conditioning research. Journal of Behavioral Science, 19(1), 99-110.
• Miller, R. (2023). Reassessing the Little Albert experiment: A modern ethical perspective. Journal of Psychological Ethics, 5(1), 47-58.