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

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.

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.