Ethics: What Can Be Learned Through Past Researchers

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Recommended: Importance of ethics in psychology

How can research done in the past, teach psychologists anything that we can use today? Today therapists know more, and are more intelligent than past psychologists, right? Therapists learn by building on what past psychologists have taught us. The studies began long ago and each time we go back to the past to understand more of what we are learning in the present. Some experiments that psychologists have learned about ethics is John Watson’s tests on Albert, Mary Cover Jones and her test on Peter, and The Monster Study, these research tests teach us about some bad ethical decisions and what needs to be done to change the outcome of these violations.
Albert was chosen for the experiment because he was a healthy, normal 8 month old baby. Prior to the experiment the child was shown a white furry rat, rabbit, mask, burning newspapers and other items to see if they caused a reaction from the child. The child showed no fear at the sight of these objects. John Watson then started using a hammer on a bar, behind the child’s back, and caused a loud noise to happen whenever he presented one of these objects to the child. First the child was startled, then upset and the third time the loud noise was heard the baby burst into tears. Soon the child did not need to hear a sound and showed fear whenever an object was presented to him. This experiment showed how we can learn to fear and how it can be taught. What are the ethics of teaching a child be afraid of simple things. The child was only taught to fear and not taught to be unafraid after the experiment concluded. Ethically this experiment did not help the child.
Mary Cover Jones heard about the experiment that was done on Albert. She wondered if she could teach a child n...

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...is a core consideration to most research. This is especially true for research that involves children where there will have to be a balance between the researcher's aims and the protection of any participants ("Conducting safe and," 2014).”
From these research experiments psychologists have learned that children need someone to speak for them, whether it be parents or a guardian, children need to be aware of the test and what is going to happen, the experiment needs to benefit the child not hinder or hurt the test subject.

Works Cited

Schultz, D.P. & Schultz, S.E. (2012). A History of Modern Psychology. Tenth Edition.
Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/1133173624/pages/94910147
Conducting safe and ethical research with children. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/briefings/ethical-research-factsheet_wda97712.html

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