What do you think about ethics and children in research?

what moral dilemmas do you think we face? i think that research is necessary for the "good of science" but is does that make it okay to kill a few children if it saves millions?





what are some moral dilemmas in the field of psychological or medical research?

What do you think about ethics and children in research?
Hmm... a tricky question.





In an effort to establish herd immunity, which is necessary to protect us from deadly diseases, we vacinate children at a young age but these programs do carry a degree of risk and every so often a child dies as a direct result of the vacination.





This example is not strictly related to research but it does illustrated a case where the death of a few children is tolerated by the community if it protects millions of lives. A million lives is worth more than one life.





The problem is how can you be 100% confident that this research will save millions of lives and the death of a few children is completely justified? You can't.
Reply:I can think of is psychology research is doing something like Watson did with a child which was to condition him to be afraid of a rat.





Any mental abuse/damage is obviously a no-no.





Ohh. and injecting people with drugs to show the effects it has on the brain and babies.





One of my lecturers is studying babies born to drug addicts. Their brains are not pretty and its extremely depressing that someone could do that to their child. And while the research is going to help many children, we should not be destroying peoples brains simply for that reason.
Reply:the end does not justify the means.
Reply:Umm.. No?





The only dilemma I can think of is psychology research is doing something like Watson did with a child which was to condition him to be afraid of a rat.





Any mental abuse/damage is obviously a no-no.





Ohh. and injecting people with drugs to show the effects it has on the brain and babies.





One of my lecturers is studying babies born to drug addicts. Their brains are not pretty and its extremely depressing that someone could do that to their child. And while the research is going to help many children, we should not be destroying peoples brains simply for that reason.
Reply:I don't think it is OK to kill for the sake of humanity unless they are adults of sound mind who volunteer to be part of some sort of study. Children are not fully mentally developed, so should not be killed for any type of research.





Medical Moral dilemmas: Should animals be used for medical research? Is stem cell research OK?





Psychological: Usually psychology has a more difficult time doing research because cognitive manipulation may be irreversible, can produce lifelong effects, and the Z factor needs to be taken into consideration, if it can be found and if there is more then one that makes the situation more complicated (Z factor = the factor that is not accounted for, depending on the study).





Someone mentioned Baby Albert and that is a perfect example. Though no one knew what became of him, Albert was conditioned to fear white animals... this could have produced long lasting effects for his lifetime, especially since the experiment occurred to him when he was such a young baby. Maybe extinction would have occur ed and he would of forgotten his response to white animals. We will never know and psychology should not be able to do such research unless the participants are fully aware of the possible effects and they are of sound age and mind. Again a child does not fit this category and a legal adult should not be able to have this decision (they may be persuaded by financial offers).





This answer is not right or wrong- it is only my opinion.