Final answer:
The APA and ASA have created ethical guidelines that require researchers to obtain informed consent for human participants, protect their rights, and ensure that animal research minimizes pain and distress. IRBs review human research proposals, while IACUCs oversee animal research to enforce these ethical standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Sociological Association (ASA) have established ethical guidelines for conducting research with human participants and nonhuman animal subjects. These provisions ensure that research is carried out with respect for human dignity, safety, and animal welfare.
For research involving human participants, ethical standards include obtaining informed consent, ensuring participants' understanding of the research, and protecting their rights. This process is overseen by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), which consists of administrators, scientists, and community members who review and approve research proposals based on ethical considerations.
In terms of research with nonhuman animal subjects, the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy) dictate the treatment of animals in research. The guidelines suggest minimizing pain and distress, and require an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to review and approve all animal research projects. Common animals used in psychological research include rodents and birds, with a focus on humane treatment and ethical experimental design.