Introduction
The research, which involves the human participants or subjects raises some legal and ethical issues. There are certain regulatory requirements as well as ethical standards, which govern the research activities involving human subjects. Ideally, when conducting the research, the researchers are required to adhere to the basic ethical norms. In particular, the researchers have an obligation to protect both the welfare and rights of the human participants who take part in their research. They are also required to ensure that they carry out the study in a manner, which serves the interests of the people or the society. What is more, the researchers are required to scrutinize specific research projects as well as activities for their moral or ethical soundness. The present paper elucidates the essential prerequisites for conducting research on human behavior by using human subjects. In particular, the paper concentrates on informed consent.
As already mentioned, the researchers have an obligation first to scrutinize their research projects and activities for their ethical soundness. Examining the research projects and activities involves getting informed consent from the human subjects before beginning the research on human behavior. It also entails exploring the issues such as protection of confidentiality, respect for the rights of the subjects, and the management of risk among others. The human participants in research on human behavior have the right to voluntary, informed consent. Ideally, this means that it is the right of the human subjects to be aware of the research so as to make the decision whether to take part or not. They are required to agree to participate in the research devoid of being coerced. In essence, voluntary informed consent is an imperative prerequisite for the participation of the human subjects in research on human behavior.
The researchers ought to include as many elements in an informed consent as possible to help the human subjects make the necessary decision. Among the things that the psychologists are required to inform the human subjects when getting the informed consent include the purpose, procedures, and expected duration of the research, confidentiality limits, and any prospective benefits (“Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010 Amendments. Standard 8: Research and Publication” N.p). In essence, the failure to let the subjects understand these and other elements before carrying out research on human behavior is considered unethical. As a matter of fact, informed consent helps the human subjects fully understand what the research as well as the risks related to it. The Stanford prison experiment is a good example of the studies, which involve the use of human participants. The human subjects used in this study voluntarily agreed to participate since Zimbardo and the other researchers obtained their informed consent. In other words, the candidates in Zimbardo study were provided with the information, which they needed to make the decision on whether to volunteer for the research or not.
Apart from getting informed consent from the human subjects before starting the research on human behavior, it is also a prerequisite for the psychologists to get informed consent for evaluations, assessments, or diagnostic services as mentioned in “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010 Amendments. Standard 9: Assessment” (N.p). Zimbardo and his team of researchers received informed consent for interviewing and testing the applicants who answered their advertisement for the study candidates in a local newspaper. The applicants who had a history of drug abuse and crime, medical disabilities, and psychological problems were eliminated (Zimbardo N.p).
It is also a requirement for the psychologists to use the language, which is reasonably comprehensible to the human participants when getting their informed consent. Zimbardo study increases our understanding of the need for obtaining informed consent from the human participants before beginning the research on human behavior. In fact, this study acts as a good reference material to any researcher willing to undertake research on human behavior.
Works cited
American Psychological Association. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010 Amendments. Standard 8: Research and Publication. N.p., 2010a. Web. 11 June 2016. < http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx>.
American Psychological Association. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010 Amendments. Standard 9: Assessment. N.p., 2010b. Web. 11 June 2016. <http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx>.
Zimbardo, Philip G. Stanford Prison Experiment. N.p., 2009. Web. 11 June 2016. <http://www.prisonexp.org/the-story/>.
