Inflicted insight is a possible consequence for subjects participating in certain kinds of research. It occurs when the subject is given insight into his or her flaws through his or her participation in an experiment, often unexpectedly or causing emotional pain. It is especially likely in social and psychological research and especially when that research involves deception of the subject by the researcher. The

Milgram experiment The Milgram experiment(s) on obedience to authority figures were a series of social psychology experiments conducted by Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram. They measured the willingness of study participants, 40 men in the age range ...

is a well-known example of an experiment with a very high potential for inflicted insight. Through their participation in the experiment, many subjects realized that they were capable of committing acts of extreme violence on other human beings. After having this realization, many subjects experienced prolonged symptoms of anxiety. (However, 84 percent of former participants surveyed later said they were "glad" or "very glad" to have participated.)Milgram, Stanley. (1974), "The Perils of Obedience." Harper's Magazine. Abridged and adapted from Obedience to Authority. p. 195 Deceptive

debriefing Debriefing is a report of a mission or project or the information so obtained. It is a structured process following an exercise or event that reviews the actions taken. As a technical term, it implies a specific and active intervention process t ...

is one method for avoiding inflicted insight in psychological experiments, although it is considered ethically questionable in and of itself. The

American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States, with over 133,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. It ha ...

's guidelines for ethical experimentation strongly discourage experiments where deceptive debriefing is the only alternative to inflicted insight. However, such experiments may be deemed ethically acceptable if they are counterbalanced by other ethical concerns.

References

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External links

Institutional Review Board; The Cost of Deception. 1979

Principles of ethical conduct in the treatment of subjects; American Psychological Association.
Medical ethics Human subject research