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Instruction in Research Ethics
Program of Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research:
The National Institutes of Health require that, "Every NRSA trainee must receive instruction
in the responsible conduct of research, and each training grant application must include a
description of the plan to provide trainees with formal and informal instruction on scientific
integrity and ethical principles in research. Institutions are encouraged to incorporate this
instruction in the training of other non-NRSA supported pre- and postdoctoral trainees.
Review of applications lacking a plan for instruction on the responsible conduct of research
may be delayed until a plan is provided. There are no specific curriculum or format
requirements for this instruction; however, conflict of interest, responsible authorship,
policies for handling misconduct, policies regarding the use of human and animal subjects,
and data management are areas that are strongly suggested for consideration. The plan
must address the format and subject matter of the instruction and the frequency and
degree of participation of the trainees and faculty that are expected to attend. A rationale
for the proposed plan of instruction must be provided. For competing continuation
applications, progress reports on the type of instruction provided, the degree of student
participation, and other relevant information will be required." (PHS-398)
In accord with this requirement, the department has implemented the following program
for instruction in the responsible conduct of research. The program is required for all
pre-doctoral students in Psychology and all NRSA-supported post-doctoral trainees.
It is recommended for all post-doctoral trainees.
1. Students participate in a series of lecture-seminars on the responsible conduct of research.
These lectures are held in the Spring semester in the context of a graduate course on
research methodology. Students read and discuss a set of articles that include the APA
Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, the APA Guidelines for Ethical
Conduct in the Care and Use of Animals, and additional articles and chapters discussing
ethical standards and past abuses.
The specific topics covered in this series include:
a. Research on human subjects: protocol approval, informed consent, privacy obligations,
debriefing, physical harm, psychological harm, placebo effects, subject benefits, subject
reimbursements, deception, anonymity, pseudonyms, data retention, neurological
techniques, design and analysis, plagiarism, conflict of interest, and cross-national research.
The class also discusses methods for promoting data-sharing, while still preserving informed
consent, as well as methods for promoting equitable research coverage for women and
minorities. It reviews the Pennsylvania child abuse clearance process and the need to
protect special populations from particular forms of stress and abuse.
b. Professional issues: responsible authorship, prohibitions against multiple parallel
submissions, prohibitions against repeated publication, ownership of intellectual property,
scientific integrity, the clinician-patient relationship, mentorship, and data
management.
c. The use of animals in research. The basic APA guidelines are discussed. Students who plan
to conduct work on animals are also required to participate in an in-depth ethics review
session conducted each year at the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition.
d. Finally, the seminar reviews methods for discerning and discouraging violations
in ethical standards.
2. All students and researchers in the department must complete the online computer-based
training course on the Protection of Human Research Subjects, developed by NIH.
3. Each Fall, all incoming graduate students and postdoctoral researchers participate in an
Immigration Course. As a part of this course, Susan Shingle, CMU Research Compliance
Administrator, explains the details of CU's IRB process and Susan Burkett, Assistant
Provost, explains Federal Grant reporting and administration requirements.
4. There is also an ethics seminar conducted each semester for researchers wishing to use
the departmental subject pool. Anyone who plans to conduct behavioral research during
the year must attend this seminar. At this seminar, the department chair of the participant
pool conducts an hour-long discussion of the use of the participant pool. This discussion
covers the logistics of using the pool, as well as general ethical issues regarding the
treatment of participants, debriefing, and the use of deception.
To supplement this core set of requirements, all students and researchers are encouraged
to participate in a year-long series of professional development seminars conducted by
Michael Zigmond at the University of Pittsburgh. This course includes eight sessions held
on Saturdays with four in the Fall and four in the Spring. Two of the sessions in the Spring
specifically deal with the responsible conduct of research. The department covers
registration costs for these two sessions, and attendance is recommended, but not required.
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