Intro to Ethics/Examples:

Leavy, P. (2022) - "Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods, Arts-Based, and Community-Based Participatory Research Approaches"

1. Stanford Prison Experiment:

   • Noted as one of the most infamous experiments in modern U.S. history.

2. Ethics in Social Research:

   • Ethics are central to social research.

   • Ethical substructure includes dimensions on three levels: philosophical, praxis, and reflexivity.

   • Philosophical dimension deals with personal values and beliefs.

   • Praxis dimension addresses actions taken in research.

   • Reflexivity dimension combines philosophical and praxis elements to understand how power is wielded.

3. Landmark Events in Communal Values System:

   • Two major events shaped the understanding of communal values in research.

   • Legacy of historical ethical atrocities in social research.

   • Impact of social justice movements on research values, especially regarding human subjects.

4. Historical Ethical Atrocities:

   • Mention of brutal experiments in concentration camps leading to the establishment of the Nuremberg Code (1947).

   • Declaration of Helsinki (1964) as a basis for federal codes regarding the treatment of human beings in medical research.

5. Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment:

   • Occurred from 1932 to 1972, involving 600 impoverished African American men in Alabama.

   • 399 had syphilis, 201 were misled about their condition.

   • Penicillin was a known treatment by 1947, but it was withheld.

   • Many participants died, infected spouses, and had children born with congenital syphilis.

6. Guatemala Experiments:

   • Conducted on prisoners and patients in mental health facilities.

   • Purposeful infection of 696 individuals with syphilis and gonorrhea, followed by treatment with antibiotics.

7. Evolution of Participant Rights:

   • Shift towards viewing participants as people with the right to know about the study, including risks and benefits.

   • Emphasis on a principle of mutuality where research benefits both researchers and participants.

8. Belmont Report (1979):

   • Led to the establishment of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research.

   • Outlined three principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

9. Social Justice Movements (1960s-1970s):

   • Triggered a reexamination of power in research.

   • Values emerging from these movements include inclusivity, addressing inequalities, societal improvement, and anti-sexist, anti-racist, anti-homophobic, and anti-classist agendas.

   • Emphasis on identity politics, social change, and influencing public policy.

   • Attempt to include underrepresented groups in research.