The Ethical Responsibilities

of Scientists
Lesson 2
Can Science be ethical?


Yes No
In your books
Animal testing
Weapons of Mass
destruction
Nuclear testing
Testing on Jews during
the Holocaust
Psychological
tests
Learning Objectives
To examine some of the ethical concerns
of scientific research
To understand some of the limitations
placed upon scientists in the study of
human behaviour
Stanley Milgram
Social Psychologist at Yale
The Milgram
experiment was a series
of controversial
experiments which
measured the
willingness of study
participants to obey an
authority figure who
instructed them to perform
acts that conflicted with
their personal conscience.

Watch this clip and discuss;
1. Do you think there is
anything morally or ethically
wrong with this experiment?
Why?
2. What is the experiment
aiming to achieve? Why?
3. What could we compare this
to?
The experiment continues.......
Philip Zimbardo
There is a little-known coda to the Milgram Experiment,
reported by Philip Zimbardo, another eminent
Psychologist,
none of the participants who refused to administer the
final shocks insisted that the experiment itself be
terminated,
nor left the room to check the health of the victim

What does this illustrate?

Discuss the implications of this

experiment

The experiment concludes.......


Who has the power?
Scientist Participant
Victim
Choose one
and state why
Extension activity
Research into the Stanford Prison
Experiment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZwf
Ns1pqG0