De Leon, Jose Carlo D. C.
Dizon, Maria Dominique S.
1. Should social scientists be permitted to conduct replications of Milgram’s obedience experiments? Zimbardo’s prison simulation? Can you justify such research as permissible within the current ASA ethical standards? If not, do you believe that these standards should be altered so as to permit Milgram-type research?
Social scientists should not be allowed to undertake replications of Milgram’s obedience experiment and Zimbardo’s prison simulation at face value just as other instances in the same field (i.e. the tuskegee syphilis study, and the wichita jury study) because these experiments violated the fundamental principles in the ASA ethical standards especially in maintaining objectivity, respecting the subjects’ rights to privacy and dignity, and protecting subjects from harm which is clearly shown in Zimbardo’s prison simulation where the one conducting the study became so engrossed in his role in the experiment rather than his goal. To help discontinue these kinds of experiment that posed danger to the well-being of the participants in the future; the group decided that the current American Sociological Association (ASA) ethical standards should be altered in order to aid sociologists in conducting their experiments safely. Despite the fact that these experiments are deemed unethical, it is undeniable that we found results helpful in understanding how the society works. Therefore, experiments like these should be done with utmost caution. After all, the basic principles of ASA should uphold the real purpose of these experiments, which is to find answers to questions without the need to violate and harm a person’s welfare.
2. Why does unethical research occur? Is it inherent in science? Does it reflect “human nature” What makes ethical research more or less likely?
Research in the name of pursuit of understanding can be unethical at times because of many reasons. One reason