ETHICSETHICS

Day 4

• Review of where we are at• Presentations• Review of Ethics requirements

for practicums and Resource Depletion task

• Check on RD questionnaire

Today’s ethics objectives

• Why must we conduct ethically sound research?

• How do we judge and monitor research for its ethical standards?

• Who needs to apply?• How do you apply?• Where can you get information and

assistance?

Why conduct ethically-sound research?

• Moral obligation

• Credible

• Legal requirements

Morality and credibility

It's a kind of scientific integrity, a principle of scientific thought that corresponds to a kind of utter honesty − a kind of leaning over backwards. For example, if you're doing an experiment, you should report everything that you think might make it invalid − not only what you think is right about it: other causes that could possibly explain your results; and things you thought of that you've eliminated by some other experiment, and how they worked − to make sure the other fellow can tell they have been eliminated.

Legal requirements

• Human Rights Act• Bill of Rights Act• ACC Act• Children, Young Persons & Their Families Act• Privacy Act• Crimes Act• Official Information Act• etc.,

‘Unethical’ examples

• Genetic modification

• “The Unfortunate Experiment”

• Zimbardo (subjects acting as prisoners and guards)

• Milgram (electric shock)

Misconduct in Research

• The fabrication or falsification of data.• Plagiarism, including copying and the use of

data and ideas without acknowledgement• Misleading ascription of authorship and failing

to acknowledge work primarily produced by a research student/ trainee/associate;

• Intentional infringements of the ethics guidelines.

• Research practices which bring or are likely to bring the Institute into disrepute.

MisconductAnonymous poll of 3247 scientists - % who admit having engaged in

the behaviour listed within the previous 3 years (selection):0.3%: Falsifying or “cooking″ research data1.4%: Using another´s ideas without permission or giving credit1.7%: Unauthorized use of confidential material for own research4.7%: Multiple publication of the same data or results 6.0%: Failing to present data that contradict one´s previous research10.0%: Inappropriately assigning authorship credit10.5%: Withholding details of methodology in papers or proposals12.5%: Overlooking other´s use of flawed data or interpretation13.5%: Using inadequate or inappropriate research designs15.3%: Dropping observations or data points on a “gut feeling″27.5%: Inadequate record keeping related to research projects

National standards and requirements

• National guidelines for ethics committees

• Health Information Privacy Code

• Ministerial directives

• Researcher responsibility

• Professional codes of conduct/ practice/ ethics

Ethical considerations apply when...

Humans or animals used as subjects, i.e. with:• questionnaires, interviews, focus groups• clinical trials (medical intervention)• observational studies• bodily tissues and fluids• treatments or exercises applied• genetic modification• use of personal, non-public information• using property/material which is culturally,

historically or spiritually significant

Principles of ethically sound research

• informed and voluntary consent

• doesn’t breach privacy

• physical and emotional harm minimisation

• cultural and social sensitivity

• limitation of deception

• respects intellectual and cultural property ownership

• avoids conflicts of interest

• adequate research design to meet objectives

Before Collecting Data....

PRIOR APPROVAL

must be

SOUGHT and GAINED

before research can commence

Consequences

• With formal ethics approval:• secure legal position• ACC coverage• professional coverage

• Without approval:• researcher, supervisor or even institute accepts

legal liability

Responsibilities

• Principal researcher (applicant)• apply for ethical approval

• Supervisor• guide and inform student researcher• sign application

• Head of Department• sign application

• Ethics Committee• inform researchers and evaluate research

proposals

Specific issues

• Maori involvement• Children as subjects• Power issues• Vulnerable subjects• Overseas research

Ethical Dilemmas• BSocP students want to interview past or present

marijuana smokers to find out what safe practices they typically use.

• A teacher wants to run a focus group with her students to explore the effectiveness of different teaching strategies

• A counsellor wants to use session transcripts (made for the purpose of supervision) in a project that evaluates the effectiveness of counselling

• A group of women researchers want to interview men about fathering

• A group of Pakeha researchers want to do research on Maori Health practices

Information Sheets - 1

• what the research is about• what they are being asked to do, • what the likely consequences are for them

should they participate, • that there are no disadvantages/

penalties/adverse consequences to not participating or of withdrawing from the research,

Information Sheets -2

• any special conditions of the research that might affect their participation – eg. that there will be audio-taping or video-taping.

• How participants will be informed of the results of the research

• how confidentiality of information will be preserved.

• a schedule for the destruction of personal identifying information.

Information Sheets - 3 • the researchers who will actually make

direct contact with the participants,• the supervisor for the project, • the host institution for the research.• a means (for example, a telephone

number) by which participants are able to be in touch with the researchers, the supervisor and the chair of the Ethics Committee to ask further questions etc, and

• the UNITEC approval statement

Minimisation of harm

• Who can be harmed?

• What kind of harm could be done by our

research projects?

• What measures can we take to minimise

harm? (q12)

• sensitive topics such as sexual practices,

drug taking, or illegal activities?

Harm or Risks of Harm• Physical Harm. It is often the case that one

must do some harm in order to bring about a greater good - sports research

• Psychosocial Harm. By psychosocial harm is meant everything from the invasion of privacy and the diminution of social reputation, to the creation of enduring psychological fears and confusions.

• Risk of Harm. No actual harm of any sort to participants but the risk of some harm.

Cultural and social sensitivity

• What defines culture?

• What does an ethical approach to research seek to achieve with respect to culture?

• What cultural ethical issues are present in our research projects?

• How do we answer the cultural questions in the Ethics Application (q9 and q10)?

Working with the framework of the Treaty

Principles of Kaupapa Māori Research

• Tino Rangatiratanga – The Principle of Self-determination

• Taonga Tuku Iho – The Principle of Cultural Aspiration• Ako Māori – The Principle of Culturally Preferred

Pedagogy• Kia piki ake i ngā raruraru o te kainga – The Principle of

Socio-Economic Mediation • Whānau – The Principle of Extended Family Structure• Kaupapa - The Principle of Collective Philosophy• Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Principle of the Treaty of

Waitangi• Ata - The Principle of Growing Respectful Relationships

UREC ethical guidelines re Maori

• The Treaty of Waitangi Tino rangatiratanga over Maori resources A right to a fair share of society’s benefits. • Informed consent – by individuals and

organisations (whanau, hapu or iwi )• Genuine consultation – before, during, after Defining, designing, Resolving potentially

difficult issues. Maximising the benefits (including Maori researcher development)

Result dissemination/ownership of reports

Research design adequacy

• Is the research question important?

• Does the question justify the participants’ efforts? (q6)

• Will the method we have chosen allow the necessary data to be collected? (q7, q8 a,b,e )

• Will the analysis that we undertake give answers to the question asked? (q8 f)

Avoidance of conflict of interest

• Are there are conflict of interest issues

involving money, power, status or role? (q8c)

• Are there potential conflicts of interest around

expectation and truth?

• What do we need to put in place or identify as

a process to prevent conflicts of interest?

(q12)

Limitation of deception

• Concealing your hypothesis or parts of it• Concealing who you are• Not telling participants what treatment they

are on• Telling participants that something is

happening when it is not (q12)

Respect for rights, confidentiality and preservation of anonymity

• Right to be fully informed of all the risks and potential risks

• Right to be told of the results and conclusions

• Confidentiality/anonymity protected within limits agreed (q15)

• What information is confidential - Exceptions

Consent form

• Title of project/Name of participant• I have seen the questions and understand the

information sheet• Any questions I have about the research have been

answered satisfactorily• I understand that taking part in this study is voluntary

and that I may withdraw from the study at any time.• I understand that my participation in this study is

confidential and that no material that could identify me will be used in any reports on this study.

Consent form

• I also understand that the …. will be stopped if, for any reason, I require this.

• I have had enough time to consider whether I wish to take part.

• I am aware that I can contact the Research Coordinator, …., by telephone at …. if I have any queries about this project.

• Signature of participant, researcher, dates

Respect for intellectual and cultural property ownership.

• Acknowledgement of sources

• Who owns the information you collect?

• When is information in the public domain?