In Pursuit of William James's McLean Hospital Records: An Inherent Conflict between Postmortem Privacy Rights and Advancing Psychological Science

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph G. Ponterotto
Keyword(s):  
Private Information ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
American Psychological Association ◽  
Privacy Rights ◽  
Tree Model ◽  
Ethical Practices ◽  
Psychological Science ◽  
Research Guidelines ◽  
Mclean Hospital

Psychological historians and psychobiographers advance our understanding of psychological theories through the intensive study of the lives of pioneering psychologists. In the course of their archival research, psychobiographers often uncover private information on the lives of historic psychologists that may never have been intended for public view and scrutiny. As such, psychobiographers need to balance considerations of the postmortem privacy of historic figures with the potential benefit to psychological science of revealing private information. Federal research guidelines and the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association concern themselves primarily with research on living subjects and are generally silent on best ethical practices regarding deceased historic and public figures. Using the case of William James's possible sojourn at McLean Hospital as an example, this article examines legal and ethical issues regarding the postmortem privacy protections of influential psychologists. An actuarial model is presented that recommends the postmortem time period after which private information, including mental health records, may become open to researchers. A decision-tree model on the process of requesting, securing, and reporting on such information is also presented. Finally, specific suggestions for follow-up qualitative and quantitative research on psychobiographical ethics are put forth.

scholarly journals The Impact of Ethical Practices on the Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 209-218
Author(s):  
Obey Dzomonda ◽  
Olawale Fatoki
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Ethical Practices ◽  
The Impact

 SMEs have become beacons of hope towards improving economic growth and development of many countries globally. However, the literature documents a high discontinuance rate among small businesses. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of ethical practices on the performance of SMEs in South Africa. The study was based on a quantitative research design. The survey method was used as a data collection method. Using this method, self-administered questionnaires were used as the primary data collection tool. These questionnaires were hand delivered to the participants by the researcher. The random sampling method was used to obtain the participants. The population consisted of SME owner/managers in Polokwane municipality. 74 SME owner/managers participated in the survey. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, T tests and regression analysis. The Cronbach’s alpha was used as a measure of reliability. The findings showed that SMEs display unethical behavior and a weak performance. It was discovered that SMEs does not have policies in place to guide their ethical behavior. The T test results showed significant differences between gender and education levels with ethical practices of SMEs. The regression results showed that there is a positive relationship between ethical practices and performance of SMEs. Recommendations were made for SMEs to treat ethical issues seriously lest they risk incurring costs associated with lawsuits and negative brand reputation. 

scholarly journals A Template for Preregistration of Quantitative Research in Psychology: Report of the Joint Psychological Societies Preregistration Task Force

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bosnjak ◽  
Christian Fiebach ◽  
David Thomas Mellor ◽  
Stefanie Mueller ◽  
Daryl Brian O'Connor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Task Force ◽  
American Psychological Association ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Open Science ◽  
American Psychological ◽  
Psychological Science ◽  
British Psychological Society ◽  
Research Findings

Recent years have seen dramatic changes in research practices in psychological science. In particular, preregistration of study plans prior to conducting a study has been identified as an important tool to help increase the transparency of science and to improve the robustness of psychological research findings. This article presents the Psychological Research Preregistration-Quantitative (PRP-QUANT) Template produced by a Joint Psychological Societies Preregistration Task Force consisting of the American Psychological Association (APA), British Psychological Society (BPS) and German Psychological Society (DGPs), supported by the Center for Open Science (COS) and the Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID). The goal of the Task Force was to provide the psychological community with a consensus template for the preregistration of quantitative research in psychology, one with wide coverage and the ability, if necessary, to adapt to specific journals, disciplines and researcher needs. This article covers the structure and use of the PRP-QUANT template, while outlining and discussing the benefits of its use for researchers, authors, funders and other relevant stakeholders. We hope that by introducing this template and by demonstrating the support of preregistration by major academic psychological societies, we will facilitate an increase in preregistration practices and thereby also the further advancement of transparency and knowledge-sharing in the psychological sciences.

Responding to Social Responsibilities and Ethics - A Study of Refractory Industry in Odisha

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saikat Gochhait
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Ethical Practices ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Modern Business ◽  
Industrial Markets ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Profit Maximisation

Businesses work in a wide social environment in which they have a responsibility to a range of stakeholders including the community. The term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the responsibility that modern business organizations have to creating a healthy and prosperous society. Ethical practices in refractory marketing help marketers distinguish between right and wrong behavior. Adherence to ethics is essential in industrial markets as mutual trust among buyers and sellers is the key to long-term success. Marketing has evolved from a production-centric approach to a societal marketing approach that lays greater emphasis on the ethical issues in marketing. With the advent of globalization, corporations continue to evolve, grow in power, and influence the process of consolidation. Corporations are in positions of power that allow them to do greater damage to others when they act unethically or socially in an irresponsible manner. The rights theory encompasses a variety of ethical philosophies holding that certain human rights are fundamental and must be respected by other humans. The economic theories of the firm cannot be segregated of ethical considerations as they have crucial impact on how the firm concentrates on economic power, formulate the rules of law. Profit maximisation has always been the driving force and an undercurrent behind the development of corporate. But profit is not made in vacuum, it always has an associated cost, some of which is always externalized (Rhee, 2008). Corporate law has an ethical foundation and the debate on values necessarily revolves round the activities of the firm. This research paper on the basis of secondary sources of data collected from reports, research papers and Internet, focuses on corporate social responsibility (CSR) of TATA Group with reference to Tata Krosaki Refractories Ltd, Bajoria Group with reference to IFGL Refractories Ltd (Odisha), OCL Refractories Ltd, Sarvesh Refractories, and Manishree Refractories (Odisha). The study intends to understand the scope of corporate social responsibility and get an insight in CSR and ethical practices in the light of the case study of the refractory industries in Odisha.

Ethical Issues in Clinical Psychology

2010 ◽  
pp. 183-210
Author(s):  
Kenneth S. Pope
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Psychology ◽  
Ethical Decision ◽  
Ethical Decision Making ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
American Psychological Association ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ethical Problems ◽  
Basic Assumptions ◽  
Ethics Code ◽  
Canadian Psychological Association

This chapter examines how ethical issues are approached differently by two prominent psychological associations, how they are encountered by psychologists, the formal complaints they give rise to, and how they can be approached systematically to avoid missteps. Included are basic assumptions about ethics; the unique approaches to developing a ethics code taken by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), and what each of these two codes provides; empirical data about what ethical problems psychologists encounter and what formal complaints they face; four major sets of ethical issues that are particularly complex and challenging (confidentiality, informed consent, competence, and boundaries); an area of major controversy (clinical psychology and national security); steps in ethical decision-making; and four possible lines of future research.

scholarly journals Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on vulnerable populations in Malaysia through an ethical lens: A study of non-state actors involved in aid distribution

2022 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
Melati Nungsari ◽  
Chuah Hui Yin ◽  
Nicole Fong ◽  
Veena Pillai
Keyword(s):  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Institutional Reforms ◽  
Ethical Practices ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Vulnerable Households ◽  
The Impact

Background: Globally, vulnerable populations have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent responses, such as lockdown measures and mass vaccinations. Numerous ethical challenges have arisen at different levels, be it at the policy-making level or on the ground. For example, policymakers have to contain a highly contagious disease with high morbidity using scarce resources, while minimizing the medium- to long-term social and economic impacts induced by containment measures. This study explores the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations in Malaysia by using an intersectional framework that accounts for overlapping forms of marginalization.   Methods: This study utilizes in-depth qualitative data obtained from 34 individuals and organizations to understand the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on vulnerable populations in Malaysia. We utilize four principles of ethics to guide our coding and interpretation of the data – namely beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and autonomy. We utilize a frequency analysis to roughly understand the types of ethical issues that emerged. Using hermeneutic content analysis (HCA), we then explore how the principles interact with each other. Results: Through the frequently analysis, we found that although beneficence was very prevalent in our dataset, so was a significant amount of harm – as perpetuated through injustice, the removal or lack of autonomy and maleficence. We also unearthed a worrying landscape of harm and deep systemic issues associated with a lack of support for vulnerable households – further exacerbated during the pandemic. Conclusions: Policy recommendations for aid organizations and society to mitigate these ethical problems are presented, such as long overdue institutional reforms and stronger ethical practices rooted in human rights principles, which government agencies and aid providers can then use in the provision of aid to vulnerable populations.

scholarly journals Research Ethics: A Perspective of South Asian Context

Edukacja ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2020 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-20
Author(s):  
Bibek Dahal ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Research Ethics ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
The South ◽  
Ethical Practices ◽  
Research Context ◽  
Asian Context ◽  
Process Context

Research ethics is concerned with ethical issues that can arise while conducting research. Social science research entails a combination of three equal entities: process, context and human agency. In each study, these entities demand rich interaction with each other. Generally, research ethics questions the interrelation between the research context and the human involvement established within that context. The research context and interaction between researcher and research participants lead to variations in the construction of knowledge, while research ethics plays a major role throughout all undertakings. In this narrative review paper, I have critically reflected my arguments on behalf of research ethics as a context-specific issue. I argued that the one-size-fits-all approach of research ethics is not viable by presenting ethical practices from the South Asian perspective. The paper is organized in three specific sections – ethical theories, research ethics and its contextual practices. Research ethics is very much a private affair and directly linked to the personal outlook of the researcher towards others. The ethical issue in research is not generic, but specific to the research context, i.e. the context of the research determines what form of behaviour is ethical and what is not. I explore the idea that the South Asian context may have its own system to conduct research ethically, as in euro-western and indigenous systems.

Ethics of Digital Government

2011 ◽  
pp. 745-748
Author(s):  
N. Kapucu
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Private Information ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Security And Privacy ◽  
Digital Government ◽  
And Migration ◽  
New Policies ◽  
Privacy And Confidentiality

The Internet is at once a new communications medium and a new locus for social organization on a global basis. A digital government will allow public access to government information and services, and group participation in discussions at any time and from anywhere on the globe. Digital government is regarded as the most recent development in the evolving application of electronic information technology to the performance of government. The development and migration of the technologies, as well as applications of information technology in support of government operations are other important aspects. New policies have been passed by legislative bodies to ensure the proper management and implementations of these technologies and the systems they serve, their protection from physical harm, and the security and privacy of their information. The growth of digital government has increased governments’ ability to collect, store, analyze, and disclose private personal and organizational information (Fountain, 2001). In the rapidly evolving environments of digital technology, it is impossible to anticipate the leading-edge ethical issues. However, there are solid ethical imperatives to use these principles ethical behavior for resolution of the issues (Anderson, 2004). This article will focus on privacy and confidentiality of individual private information in digital environment.

Ethical Dilemmas in Online Research

2011 ◽  
pp. 734-739
Author(s):  
R. Melville
Keyword(s):  
Data Privacy ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Internet Technology ◽  
Internet Research ◽  
Online Research ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Cultural Groups ◽  
Ethical Practices ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Uniform Code

Online research raises unique ethical concerns (Ess & AoIR, 2002), including the treatment and recruitment of participants, gaining consent, accessing electronic forms of data, privacy, and responsibility to the participants of online mediums (e.g., discussion lists and groups). Until the mid-1990s, very little attention was paid to ethical issues in online research for the following reasons: • This communication medium was a very recent phenomenon (Ess & AoIR, 2002; Mann & Steward, 2000) • Internet research posed different ethical challenges for researchers in comparison to conventional face-to-face settings • Existing ethical regulations and ethics review boards did not cover the new ethical issues raised by Internet research • It was too difficult to develop a uniform code of ethical conduct for Internet research given the diverse disciplines, countries, and cultural groups using the Internet (Ess & AoIR, 2002) • The complexity of Internet technology itself, which made adapting conventional ethical practices and processes problematic (Anders cited in Mann & Stewart, 2000; Mann & Stewart, 2000; Thomas, 1996; Whittaker, 2002)

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