Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Institutionelle Überprüfung / Español: Revisión institucional / Português: Revisão institucional / Français: Révision institutionnelle / Italian: Revisione istituzionale

Institutional Review refers to the systematic evaluation of research proposals by a committee to ensure that they comply with ethical standards and regulations. In the psychology context, this process is essential to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects participating in research.

Description

Institutional review is conducted by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), also known as an ethics committee. The primary role of the IRB is to review research protocols to ensure they are ethically sound and that the potential benefits of the research outweigh any risks to participants. This process involves assessing various aspects of the research, including:

1. Informed Consent: Ensuring that participants are fully informed about the nature of the research, potential risks, and their rights, and that they voluntarily agree to participate.
2. Risk-Benefit Analysis: Evaluating whether the potential benefits of the research justify the risks involved. This includes considering both physical and psychological risks to participants.
3. Confidentiality: Ensuring that participants' personal information is protected and that data is handled in a way that maintains privacy.
4. Vulnerable Populations: Providing special considerations for research involving vulnerable groups, such as children, prisoners, or individuals with cognitive impairments.

The IRB consists of members with diverse backgrounds, including researchers, ethicists, and community representatives, to provide a comprehensive review from multiple perspectives.

Application Areas

Institutional review is applicable in several areas within psychology:

1. Clinical Research: Ensuring that studies involving clinical interventions, such as therapy or drug trials, adhere to ethical standards.
2. Social and Behavioral Research: Reviewing studies that investigate human behavior, social interactions, and psychological processes.
3. Educational Research: Assessing research conducted in educational settings, particularly studies involving students or educational interventions.
4. Health Psychology: Evaluating research that examines the psychological aspects of health, illness, and healthcare.

Well-Known Examples

Notable examples of the importance of institutional review in psychology include:

• Stanford Prison Experiment (1971): Conducted by Philip Zimbardo, this study lacked adequate ethical oversight and resulted in significant psychological distress for participants. The ethical issues highlighted by this experiment underscore the need for rigorous IRB review.
• Milgram's Obedience Studies (1960s): Stanley Milgram's experiments on obedience to authority involved deceiving participants and exposing them to stressful situations, raising ethical concerns that would be scrutinized by modern IRBs.

Treatment and Risks

Proper institutional review mitigates several risks associated with psychological research:

Symptoms

• Ethical Violations: Potential for harm to participants, lack of informed consent, and breaches of confidentiality.
• Legal Consequences: Non-compliance with ethical standards can result in legal actions against researchers and institutions.
• Loss of Public Trust: Unethical research practices can damage the reputation of the research community and reduce public willingness to participate in future studies.

Therapy

• Ethical Training: Providing researchers with training in research ethics and the principles of human subjects protection.
• Ongoing Monitoring: Conducting continuous oversight of research projects to ensure ongoing compliance with ethical standards.

Healing

• Revisions to Protocols: Making necessary adjustments to research protocols based on IRB feedback to address ethical concerns.
• Participant Support: Offering support services to participants who experience distress or harm as a result of their participation in research.

Similar Terms

• Ethical Review: The broader process of evaluating research for ethical compliance, which includes institutional review but can also involve other forms of ethical oversight.
• Research Ethics Committee (REC): Another term for IRB, used in some countries to describe the committee responsible for ethical review of research.
• Human Subjects Protection: The principles and practices designed to protect the rights and welfare of individuals participating in research.

Articles with 'Institutional Review' in the title

• Institutional Review Board: Institutional review board (IRB) refers to a committee at a research-oriented institution constituted to ensure that all research is conducted in an ethical manner

Summary

Institutional Review is a critical process in psychology to ensure the ethical conduct of research involving human subjects. Conducted by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), this review assesses informed consent, risk-benefit balance, confidentiality, and special considerations for vulnerable populations. Effective institutional review helps prevent ethical violations, legal consequences, and loss of public trust, thereby safeguarding the integrity of psychological research.

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