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Ethics In Psychological Research

Review the two classic psychology studies (Milgram’s Obedience to Authority and Zimbardo’s Stamford Prison Experiment) under Readings and Resources. Using evidence from Chapter 3 of your textbook, as well as the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct, discuss two (2) ways in which research ethics were violated in one (1) of these studies. Then, discuss two (2) ways you would make the study more ethically sound if you were to rerun the study today. With your ethical considerations in place, do you think you would learn as much about obedience as Milgram did in his original research or as much as Zimbardo did about the power of social roles? Why or why not? Finally, do you think it was ethical that Milgram or Zimbardo only studied white males? How might their study results have differed if their sample was more culturally diverse?

Full Answer Section

Enhancing Ethical Conduct:

Full Disclosure and Informed Consent: Participants would be clearly informed about the potential psychological risks and stressors involved in the study. They would have the right to withdraw at any point.
Monitoring and Intervention: A robust monitoring system would be in place to assess participant well-being throughout the experiment. Psychologists would be prepared to intervene and stop the study if participants showed signs of significant distress. (Ethical Principles 8.07 Deception and 8.08 Debriefing)

Learning and Ethical Considerations: While safeguards would reduce the severity of the experiment, valuable insights into the power of social roles and situational pressures could still be gleaned. The ethical considerations wouldn't necessarily diminish the learning potential, but rather refine the methodology to prioritize participant well-being. Limited Sample and Cultural Diversity: The exclusive use of white male participants is a significant limitation. Cultural factors significantly influence obedience and social behavior. A more diverse sample could reveal variations in how people respond to authority figures or stressful social situations based on race, gender, and cultural background. For example, research suggests that women may be more likely to challenge authority than men in certain situations. Including a more diverse sample could provide a richer and more nuanced understanding of how obedience and social roles function across different cultures. Conclusion: The Milgram and Zimbardo studies, while groundbreaking, raise significant ethical concerns. By prioritizing informed consent, participant well-being, and a more diverse sample, future research could explore similar themes in a more ethical and informative way.

Sample Answer

Ethical Concerns in Classic Psychology Studies

Study: Stanford Prison Experiment (Zimbardo)

Ethical Violations:

Deception: Participants were deceived about the true nature of the study. Believing they were in a prison study, they were subjected to psychological harm through emotional abuse and manipulation. (Ethical Principles 8.01 Informed Consent and 8.07 Deception)
Unforeseen Psychological Harm: The researchers underestimated the profound psychological impact the experiment would have on participants. Several "guards" exhibited sadistic tendencies, and "prisoners" experienced emotional distress, anxiety, and even breakdowns. The experiment was halted prematurely due to these concerns. (Ethical Principles 8.02 Institutional Review and 8.08 Debriefing)