TY - JOUR
T1 - Barriers to Considering Ethical and Societal Implications of Research
T2 - Perceptions of Life Scientists
AU - McCormick, Jennifer Blair
AU - Boyce, Angie M.
AU - Ladd, Jennifer M.
AU - Cho, Mildred K.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank Ravi Garg, Anny Lin, Mariel Bailey, Cassia Wells, and Sujana Bhattacharyya. The authors also acknowledge support by grant P50 HG003389 from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute. Finally, they thank the anonymous reviewers and editorial staff for their insightful comments. Address correspondence to Jennifer Blair McCormick, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. E-mail: mccormick. [email protected]
PY - 2012/7
Y1 - 2012/7
N2 - Background: As part of an empirical study investigating how life scientists think about ethical and societal implications of their work, and about life science research in general, we sought to elucidate barriers that scientists might face in considering such implications. Methods: Between 2005 and 2007, we conducted a study consisting of phone interviews, focus groups, and a national survey of life scientists at biomedical research institutions. The study population included graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, clinical instructors, and research staff. We analyzed data through qualitative and quantitative methods. Results: In analyzing the data, we found that life scientists do, in fact, face barriers to considering ethical and societal implications of research. We categorized these barriers as falling into four broad domains: (1) lack of awareness of ethical and societal implications; (2) lack of relevance of such concerns to their specific research; (3) self-confidence in their ability to resolve such concerns; and (4) aspects of the daily practice of science itself. Conclusions: Life science researchers experience elements inherent in their training and in the conduct of science as barriers to thinking about ethical and societal implications related to their work. These findings suggest areas in which research ethics educators, bioethicists, and the scientific community can focus their efforts to improve social and ethical accountability in research.
AB - Background: As part of an empirical study investigating how life scientists think about ethical and societal implications of their work, and about life science research in general, we sought to elucidate barriers that scientists might face in considering such implications. Methods: Between 2005 and 2007, we conducted a study consisting of phone interviews, focus groups, and a national survey of life scientists at biomedical research institutions. The study population included graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, clinical instructors, and research staff. We analyzed data through qualitative and quantitative methods. Results: In analyzing the data, we found that life scientists do, in fact, face barriers to considering ethical and societal implications of research. We categorized these barriers as falling into four broad domains: (1) lack of awareness of ethical and societal implications; (2) lack of relevance of such concerns to their specific research; (3) self-confidence in their ability to resolve such concerns; and (4) aspects of the daily practice of science itself. Conclusions: Life science researchers experience elements inherent in their training and in the conduct of science as barriers to thinking about ethical and societal implications related to their work. These findings suggest areas in which research ethics educators, bioethicists, and the scientific community can focus their efforts to improve social and ethical accountability in research.
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U2 - 10.1080/21507716.2012.680651
DO - 10.1080/21507716.2012.680651
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84862605169
SN - 2150-7716
VL - 3
SP - 40
EP - 50
JO - AJOB Primary Research
JF - AJOB Primary Research
IS - 3
ER -