Ethical Challenges in the Behavioral and Brain Sciences: Case Studies and Commentaries

by Robert J. Sternberg

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Author: Robert J. Sternberg

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Paperback:
ISBN 10: 1107671701
ISBN 13: 978-1107671706

Hardcover:
ISBN 10: 1107039738
ISBN 13: 978-1107039735

In recent years, a growing number of scientific careers have been brought down by scientists' failure to satisfactorily confront ethical challenges. Scientists need to learn early on what constitutes acceptable ethical behavior in their professions. Ethical Principles for the Behavioral and Brain Sciences encourages readers to engage in discussions of the diverse ethical dilemmas encountered by behavioral and brain scientists. The goal is to allow scientists to reflect on ethical issues before potentially confronting them. Each chapter is authored by a prominent scientist in the field who describes a dilemma, how it was resolved, and what the scientist would do differently if confronted with the situation again. Featuring commentary throughout and a culmination of opinions and experiences shared by leaders in the field, the goal of this book is not to provide "correct" answers to real-world ethical dilemmas. Instead, authors pose the dilemmas, discuss their experiences and viewpoints on them, and speculate on alternative reactions to the issues. The firsthand insights shared throughout the book will provide an important basis for reflection among students and professionals on how to resolve the kinds of ethical challenges they may face in their own careers.

Review

"At a time of diminishing public trust in the sciences, Sternberg and Fiske have given us the perfect antidote: a rich collection of sincere and probing testimonies about ethical problems by leading brain and behavioral scientists. A page-turner - not usual in thoughtful treatments of ethics - this book will provide readers with a real educational experience. The book is a uniquely valuable answer to some of the most burning scientific dilemmas of our day."
William Damon, Stanford University, California and author of The Power of Ideals: The Real Story of Moral Choice

"Through more than fifty always engaging, typically perplexing, and often disturbingly nuanced case studies, Robert Sternberg and Susan Fiske make vivid the fundamental place of ethical thinking and acting in the research and professorial lives of contemporary brain and behavioral scientists. This unique and historically important book represents a sea change in understanding the ubiquity and subtlety of ethical challenges in research, publication, teaching, mentoring, and professional conduct. Reading, reflecting on, and discussing this book may be transformative for both scientists and science."
Richard M. Lerner, Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science and Director, Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, Tufts University, Massachusetts

"Graduate students should be required to read this volume, in which a star-studded cast of scientists explore the oft-disguised forms of ethical lapse or corruption that, alas, are never absent, even from the most serene paths of the groves of academe."
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Management, Claremont Graduate School, California

"Sternberg and Fiske have brought together a remarkable collection of vignettes. Though written by psychologists, they largely raise issues relevant to all academic disciplines. Each vignette places an ethical issue in a concrete and personal context. Ultimately, they will raise our collective consciousness about how we can best promote fairness, truthfulness, responsibility, due credit, and personal growth in all our efforts."
Jay McClelland, Professor and Director of the Center for Mind, Brain and Computation, Stanford University, California

Book Description

In recent years, a growing number of scientific careers have been brought down by scientists' failure to satisfactorily confront ethical challenges. Scientists need to learn early on what constitutes acceptable ethical behavior in their professions. Ethical Principles for the Behavioral and Brain Sciences encourages readers to engage in discussions of the diverse ethical dilemmas encountered by behavioral and brain scientists. The goal is to allow scientists to reflect on ethical issues before potentially confronting them. Each chapter is authored by a prominent scientist in the field who describes a dilemma, how it was resolved, and what the scientist would do differently if confronted with the situation again.

About the Author

Robert J. Sternberg is past-president of the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences. He has been a professor at Yale University, Tufts University, Oklahoma State University, the University of Wyoming, and currently, Cornell University. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Education and a former president of the American Psychological Association.

Susan T. Fiske is president of the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences. She has been a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and currently, Princeton University. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences and a former president of the Association for Psychological Science.

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Ethical Challenges in the Behavioral and Brain Sciences: Case Studies and Commentaries