Ethics in Psychology Essay Example for Free

Ethics in Psychology Essay The definition of ethics is as follows: â€Å"a theory or system of moral values; the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person†. (dictionary.com ) In modern day society, we have bio-ethicists; professionals who are trained to judge what can be considered ethical, as well as strict guidelines set forth by the APA (American Psychological Association). However, during the early years of the formation of Psychology, there were no bio-ethicists or universal guidelines, therefore some of the early experiments such as the â€Å"Little Albert†, and â€Å"Mother Attachment† would be considered unethical and therefore would not be permitted today. In 1920, behaviorist John B. Watson and his assistant Rosalie Rayner conducted an experiment now called the â€Å"Little Albert†. The desired outcome of the experiment was to show empirical evidence of classical conditioning in humans. (T. Bartlett) A similar study that preceded â€Å"Little Albert† was conducted by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, which demonstrated the conditioning process in dogs. It is said that Watson wanted to continue and further Pavlov’s research to eventually show that emotional reactions could be classically conditioned in humans. Watson and Rayner first selected a nine month old baby from a local hospital, his name was Douglas Merritte. The child was then exposed to a series of stimuli including a white rat, a rabbit, a monkey, masks, and burning newspapers; his initial reactions were observed and recorded. The boy initially showed no fear of any of the objects he was shown. However, the second time the boy was exposed to the white rat, it is accompanied by a loud starling clang, that clearly frightens the child. This portion of the experiment is repeated multiple times until the mere sight of the white rat, or creatures that have a similar appearance, frighten the child even when unaccompanied by the startlingly clang. The researchers have successfully conditioned Little Albert to be afraid. (T. Bartlett) Today â€Å"Little Albert† is considered to be a cruel experiment of questionable value, clearly in violation of all five of the APA’s general ethical guidelines. The APA states that psychologists must: â€Å"respect the dignity and worth of all people, and the rights of individuals to privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination. Be aware that special safeguards may be necessary to protect the rights and welfare of persons or communities whose vulnerabilities impair autonomous decision making. Be aware of and respect cultural, individual and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language and socioeconomic status and consider these factors when working with members of such groups. Try to eliminate the effect on their work of biases based on those factors, and they do not knowingly participate in or condone activities of others based upon such prejudices.†(APA) The first problem with â€Å"Little Albert† stems from the harm caused to the individual in question. Douglas Merritte was ultimately driven to feel extreme fear and even terror when exposed to anything that remotely resembled the white rat. This was mentally damaging for the child, and may have impaired his ability to integrate himself into society at a later date. (Cherry. K) Secondly, the right to withdraw was not present in the experiment; even when the boy became distressed and even ill the experiment continued. Therefore, today, the â€Å"Little Albert† experiment would be considered highly unethical. During the 1960’s, American Psychologist Harry Harlow, conducted a series of controvertial experiments known as the â€Å"Mother Attachment Experiments†. These experiments were used to analyze the mother-child relationship in primates. In Harlows initial experiments, infant monkeys were separated from their mother’s shortly after birth and were raised instead by surrogate mothers made either wire or soft terry cloth. In one experiment both types of surrogates were present in the cage, but only one was equipped with the ability to nurse the infant. Some infants received nourishment from the wire surrogate, and others were fed from the cloth mother. Harlow established that mother love was really behavior based, meaning the offspring would seek physical comfort, rather than feeding. Harlows isolation studies also demonstrated the need for maternal interaction with their infants and the importance of play as part of the normal process of psychosocial growth. Harlow has received multiple awards for these experiments, they have been deemed of extreme significance for understanding those aspects of human behavior related to depression, aggression or sexual dysfunction, which originated in the formative years of mother-infant interaction.†(Theodore Lidz of Yale University Medical School). However, due to the fact that the experiments caused extreme psychological effects on the primates used in the trials, they could be seen as highly unethical. In the APA’s ethical principles of psychology, section 8.09 clearly states that psychologists must have a: Humane Care and Use of Animals in Research. Subsections B and D of sectio n 8.09 are relevant when considering Harlow’s treatment of the primates. Subsection B states: â€Å"Psychologists trained in research methods and experienced in the care of laboratory animals supervise all procedures involving animals and are responsible for ensuring appropriate consideration of their comfort, health and humane treatment† (APA). In the â€Å"Mother Attachment† experiments, Harlow himself was not trained in the research methods and experienced in the care of the primates, nor was there any consideration for their comfort or mental health after the experiment. Furthermore, subsection D states that: â€Å"Psychologists make reasonable efforts to minimize the discomfort, infection, illness and pain of animal subjects† (APA). Harlow failed to minimize the negative effects of his experiments on the primates in a long term setting; most primates involved in the study were clinically depressed after the termination and in some cases during the experiment.Therefore, in accordance to the APA’s ethical guidelines Harlowâ €™s experiment would be seen as morally questionable and in most cases unethical in modern society. There is no question that the science which is psychology has been built and greatly advanced through the means of what some would consider unethical means and experimentation. â€Å"Little Albert† is seen today as a cruel experiment of questionable value. However knowledge was gained from this â€Å"unethical† experiment that has helped modern day psychologists. The â€Å"Mother Attachment† experiments, have won multiple awards for their â€Å"extreme significance† (Theodore Lidz) in the analysis of behavior based on the mother-child relationship; despite the fierce criticism and controversy surrounding the experiments. Should both experiments be considered morally wrong and unethical? Perhaps. Did both experiments play a large role in the advancement of psychology? Without a doubt. Therefore in Harlow and Watson’s cases, the end justifies the means. References American Psychological Association (APA). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx?item=3 Bartlett, T. (2012). The Sad Saga of Little Albert Gets Far Worse for a Researchers Reputation . Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol. 58(Issue 23), A-26. Cherry, K. Psychology Complete Guide to Psychology for Students, Educators Enthusiasts. Little Albert The Little Albert Experiment. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://psychology.about.com/od/classicpsychologystudies/a/little-albert-experiment.htm (1975). Honoring Harlow for dedicated research . Science News , Vol.107 (Issue 24), 383.

censorhf The Banning of Huckleberry Finn Essays -- Adventures Huckleb

No Justification for the Banning of Huckleberry Finn Columnist James J. Kilpatrick wrote that Huck Finn is "a fun book for white boys to read. For black children, I have come to realize, it is a brutal slap in the face." He condemns the book because of its use of the word "nigger." Many school districts have banned this book for the same reason. Since the Civil War, racism has been a very delicate issue with the American public. Whereas some people have tried to transgress this issue, pretending that race no longer plays a significant role in our country, other people still believe that there are serious racial dilemmas in the United States. I am one these people. However, unlike some, I do not believe this problem can be solved by avoiding or sugarcoating the issue of race, as James L. Kilpatrick and several schools appear to be doing. In the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain presents an adventure story filled with deeper meanings and controversial topics, two in particular being slavery and racism. Despite the usage of the word "nigger" and the stereotypical portrayal of African Americans, I do not think schools have any justification in banning this book from reading lists. Mark Twain wrote Huck Finn during the Reconstruction period in the south, at a time when most Americans wanted to forget all about the institution of slavery and its consequences. However, Twain set the time period of this novel prior to the Civil War when slavery was at its peak. Thus, the racist views he included in the book mirrored the attitudes of most southerners ... ...acist attitudes prevalent in South at this time. For all those school administrators who say that the language and ideology of Twain’s writing is offensive, well, maybe Twain wanted to offend people with this novel. Maybe he wanted to offend them so much that they would come to the realization that individuals should not conform to society’s standards, one of these standards being slavery. Until someone is offended, status quo doesn’t change. Maybe it’s about time that we remove the blindfold from our nation’s youth and stop trying to be politically correct. Maybe it’s about time that kids are exposed to the true horror of racism and prejudice so to detour them from repeating fatal mistakes. High school students are neither naïve nor stupid; they can handle the contents of this novel, and hopefully, learn from Twain’s messages.

On the Sidewalk Bleeding: Newspaper Article Essay

Last night at approximately 11:30 pm, Andy Anderson had become the latest victim of gang violence in the borough of Queens. Andy was stabbed when he darted through a back alley on his way to buy a package of cigarettes at Alfredo’s on the next block. At that exact time, he was ambushed and later stabbed by a member of the GUARDIANS. A rival gang of the Royals. The ROYALS being that of which Andy was a part of. According to police officers that arrived on the scene about 45 minutes after the ambush occurred. â€Å"Andy Anderson was wearing a bright, purple, silk jacket with The ROYALS stitched across the back of the jacket and Andy delicately stitched in black lettering over the heart.† Police also knew that when they saw ROYALS on his jacket that this wasn ‘t a random act of violence, and that this was a planned attack. This attack shows the extreme dangers of Gang violence in the borough of Queens.† When police found Andy â€Å"On The Sidewalk Bleeding†, they had known that he had already died. This was because of three reasons: the location of the stab wound, the location of the wound, and how long it tom for EMS personnel to arrive on the scene. Police were also able to find him on the sidewalk with his girlfriend Laura who had this to say: â€Å"When I didn’t see Andy for a long period of time, I knew something wasn’t right and by the time I left the school and got to him it was too late†¦ he was dead. Police officers have just commenced their investigation and an autopsy will be conducted in the coming days to find out the time of death. Police would like anyone with any kind of information to contact 69 Division or to leave an anonymous tip for Crime Stoppers.

I Shop, Therefore I am When you Just can’t Stop Buying Essay

Princess Diana collected clothes. Elton John collected suits. Imelda Marcos collected shoes. Turns out 1 in 10 of us can’t control the urge to spend. Is your closet overflowing with never-worn clothes, the price tags still intact? Is your attic full of boxes that have never been opened or touched? Do you buy a new pair of glasses regularly or buy handbags by a dozen? You might be a shopaholic. Experts think that 10 percent of the population, and possibly 20 percent of women are chronic spenders (McVeigh, 2000). Today’s materialistic world tacitly condones shopping sprees. People who cannot stop shopping, even at the expense of their career, marriage, family and finances, are driven by pleasure-seeking arousal and by†¦show more content†¦Also known as the happy hormone, serotonin helps maintain emotional balance despite our mood swings. Experts observed that prolonged exposure to stress as well as a poor diet can deplete the levels of serotonin. Some people tend to shop occasionally as a form a therapy, but for some people it goes too far. As a result, people who try to engage in compulsive shopping to reward themselves to reduce anxiety and discomfort due to stress or loneliness lead to perform certain acts repetitively and uncontrollably. The most common sign of being a shopaholic is chronic spending. Shopaholics tend to continually purchase identical items, not just an occasional shopping binge. They don’t buy one item at a time, they buy way beyond than they intend to. For instance, they might buy ten blouses, all the same, perhaps in different shades or just a little different in style. As a result, they have closets and an attic full of the same, untouched items. Shopaholics frequently feel a loss of control. Though they know they have a serious and alarming problem, they feel powerless over it. Thus, they suffer from impaired relationships. They spend too much time away from friends and families just to hide their compulsion especially if someone has expressed a fear over it. Shopaholics also tend to lie about how much their purchases actually cost, but may own up to making purchases They often do not recognize the boundaries of aShow MoreRelatedWhats Needed in a Business Plan1620 Words   |  7 PagesIn this task I will be talking about what is included in a business plan, things such as the finance, location, market research, human resource policy and much more. Budget This is the amount of money that can be spent on expenditure over a set period of time. For my business I will set a budget for the first six months as I need to keep an eye on how much money is going out, too much outgoing can lead to the business going in debt. 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