On Rethinking the Psychology of Tyranny - Essay Example

Ethics reflection paper Task: Ethics Reflection Paper The article “The British Psychological Society” primarily reassesses two psychology researches. It focuses on ethics that researchers ought to respect (Zimbardo, 2006). In this scenario, ethics provide regulations to preserve human dignity. Subsequently, the article addresses the BBC research that sought to replicate prison conditions. However, the writer finds numerous flaws in the research owing to external interference (Zimbardo, 2006).

In addition, the article reviews the Stanford experiment, which was spontaneous. The applicants were volunteers in the trial with minimal external interference. The later study allowed events to occur naturally. Therefore, participants displayed natural psychosomatic reactions to transformation. The participant displayed natural tendencies expected of guards and prisoners in an incarceration facility (Zimbardo, ND). Finally, the article reviews the disparity between the two studies and the ethical implications of such investigation.

Notably, it criticizes the BBC experiment since it targeted views rather than psychological research (Zimbardo, 2006). 2The article sets the threshold for studies utilizing humans as subjects. According to the writer, such experiments should shun abuse of participants. In addition, the above experiment ought not to mortify the subjects. Fundamentally, the researcher questions the moral stand relating to utilization of human subjects in such research. Notably, the BBC determines the circumstances that degraded the pseudo-prisoners.

This illustrates another ethical concern. It is vital to state the tasks and circumstances that will characterize the research (Zimbardo, 2006). In addition, the second study lacked spontaneity due to interference. Media and financial accomplishments fostering psychological research motivated the second study. Overall, investigators should apply prudence while utilizing humans in experiments. Moreover, financial motivation results in loss of objectivity in research (Zimbardo, 2006).3The article “The British Psychological Society” reviews two trials conducted to generate psychological data.

However, the two studies differ in execution (Zimbardo, 2006). In addition, it evaluates moral concerns in both experiments. Fundamentally, both articles relate to psychological research. The article “The British Psychological Society” applauds the execution of the Stanford experiment due to its spontaneity (Zimbardo, 2006). Conversely, it critics the latter study. Researchers doctored the BBC study to suit viewership rather than facilitate a natural occurrence of events. The Stanford trial allowed the physiological impacts of incarceration to dictate the events rather than financial and viewership needs (Zimbardo, 2006).

Essentially, corporate motivations culminated in loss of research objectivity in the BBC study. Furthermore, the article “The British Psychological Society” provides additional insight to flaws in the Stanford researcher (Zimbardo, 2006). The faults included the participants’ awareness of the recording of the occurrence in the mock incarceration (Zimbardo, ND). 4The article cautions against the utilization of human subjects in experiments. Some studies degrade the participants due to the tasks and circumstances in the research.

However, where the experiment necessitates human subject then, the researcher should elaborate all the aspects relating to the experiment (Zimbardo, 2006). Essentially, researchers should evaluate the moral stand prior to initiating a study. Conspicuously, there is a pressing want for regulations in research. The regulations should deter distortion of research for selfish motivations. Evidently, the second research lacked spontaneity due to the interference by supervisors. Corporate motivations culminated in the loss of objectivity of the research since they configured it to suite viewers rather than generate psychological data (Zimbardo, 2006).

This discloses that it is vital to identify the objectives of study prior to commencing the experiment. Researchers should guarantee that subjects of similar research do not suffer bodily harm. ReferencesZimbardo, P. (2006). On rethinking the psychology of tyranny: The BBC prison study. British Journal of Social Psychology, 45, 47–53.Zimbardo, P. (ND). On the ethics of intervention in human psychological research: with special references to the standard prison experiment. Stanford University, 2(2), 243-256.