Ethics in Psychology
Ethics Information
The ethics home page at the American Psychological Association. Includes links to the ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct; APA's Ethics Committee rules and procedures; Guidelines for ethical conduct in the care and use of animals; and, research with animals in psychology. Each link is listed separately below.
Outlines the ethical code of conduct that psychologists should follow in their professions. Includes detailed information on the protection of human and animal subjects.
An overview of the work, mission and goals of the Ethics Committee. Provides rules and procedures of the committee.
IRBs must approve proposed non-exempt research before involvement of human subjects may begin.
An overview of the instituitional review board. Includes history of the human subjects protection system, the Belmont report and suggestions for further reading. Click on the hyperlink below to open the PDF.
The code that led to the development of ethical principles in working with human subjects.
Regulations for the protection of human subjects.
Overview of work of the advisory committee on human research protections and statement on children involved in research.
The Office of Research Integrity (ORI) oversees and directs Public Health Service (PHS) research integrity activities on behalf of the Secretary of Health and Human Services with the exception of the regulatory research integrity activities of the Food and Drug Administration.
Guidelines for the protection of human subjects.
Video and Tutorials
In "The Lab: Avoiding Research Misconduct," you become the lead characters in an interactive movie and make decisions about integrity in research that can have long-term consequences. The simulation addresses Responsible Conduct of Research topics such as avoiding research misconduct, mentorship responsibilities, handling of data, responsible authorship, and questionable research practices.
**Highly Recommended!
Ethics and Human Research
Henrietta Lacks
Tissues taken from cancer victim Henrietta Lacks in 1951 have made big profits for the drug companies, but today her surviving children can't afford health insurance.
In 1951, an African-American woman named Henrietta Lacks went to Johns Hopkins Hospital to be treated for cervical cancer. Unbeknownst to her, cells from her biopsy were made available to biological researchers.
Video
A CBS News Report on Henrietta Lacks.
The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment
The U.S. government's 40-year experiment on black men with syphilis.
Tuskegee 's Truths: Rethinking the Tuskegee Syphilis Study is an excellent edited collection that explores the notorious forty-year United States Public Health Service study of untreated syphilis in poor, African-American men. Editor Susan M. Reverby has crafted a commendable volume that consists of historical documents, artistic considerations, and scholarly analyses related to the experiment. Reverby's finest and most praiseworthy decision was to include opinions and arguments.
History,facts, bad blood, bad science.
Syphilis study still provokes disbelief, sadness.
Videos on the Tuskegee Experiment
Ethics and Animal Research
Outlines the American Psychological Association's policies and guidelines on the care and use of animals in research.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), with more than 2 million members and supporters, is the largest animal rights organization in the world.PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. We also work on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of beavers, birds and other "pests," and the abuse of backyard dogs. PETA works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns.
Organization promoting animal welfare in psychology.
The reasons for animal use in research as outlined by APA.
An interesting site on the care and use of animals. Includes an international workshop on development of science-based guidelines for laboratory animal care; and, facts and figures on animal use in research.
