Trend Article Analysis

I decided to touch on the topic of historical changes in ethics in regard to psychological research. The article that I found discusses the ethical concerns that researchers face when conducting experiments that utilize controversial research methods. The research methods vary and include but are not limited to coercion, deception, and potentially inducing psychological harm.

When conducting research on human participants researchers must ensure that ethical methods are employed. However there have been instances where researchers have been unable to predict the results of the experiment. Researchers must be very cautious when using methods such as coercion, deception, and potential psychological harm. Other factors to consider are whether the participation is voluntary and the overall confidentiality. The aforementioned factors are some of the main reasons why the development of formal ethical codes for psychological research came about (Youngpeter, 2008).

The studies that help bring about the development of formal ethical codes for psychological research include Watson and Raynor's research on Little Albert, Milgram's interest in obedience, Humphrey's naturalistic observation of tearooms, and Zimbardo and colleagues prison experiment. The studies mentioned have ultimately contributed to the current guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA) (Youngpeter, 2008).

The famous "Little Albert" study was done to show how human emotional responses are created through conditioning rather than being innate or the result of some adverse sexual experience as Freud has previously suggested. Watson and Raynor took an 11 month old boy and attempted to make him fear a white rat. When Albert would go to touch the rat they would make a very loud noise so as to startle him and make him begin to associate the white rat with unpleasantness. The method worked and after a while when Albert would see a rat or any other white furry object it would elicit fear. This experiment helped bring to light the concern of experiments that involve those who are unable to give consent, such as children, those who are mentally challenged, etc. (Youngpeter, 2008).

Social psychologist Stanley Milgram was intrigued by the idea of negative obedience. He wanted to perform a study where people are asked by an authority figure to perform acts that are immoral in nature. The study consisted of a learner and a teacher. The learner was strapped to an electric chair and the teacher who was always the participant was asked to push a lever if the learner answered the question being asked wrong. The voltage was increased by 15 volts with each wrong answer. The learner was never actually shocked, but the teacher did not know that. Milgram wanted to see how far people would go even if they knew someone was being harmed. Amazingly 30 participants made it until the end, up until the last shock at 450 volts was given.

Humphrey's tearoom experiment also employed deception. Humphrey's intention was to secretly observe the sexual activities of men who went to tearooms. He then went on to make observations about their home life based upon his observations. The activities that occurred in tearooms were usually illegal so the ethical concern was collecting data and deciding to withhold the observations and findings from police. The ethical concern about this particular study was about voluntary participation