Articles tagged with Social Ethics
A new report by University of Cambridge researchers highlights the human context of conservation efforts, finding that protecting 30% of the world's land and seas by 2030 will impact nearly half of the global population. The team suggests substantial investment and local involvement are crucial for successful implementation.
A new study finds that dog trainers' methods reflect their ethical stance on animals. Owners with an anthropocentric view are more likely to use punishment-based methods, while those with a focus on animal welfare opt for positive training methods. The study highlights the importance of considering ethics in dog training.
New research from the University of Texas at Austin finds that regulators with ties to Big Four accounting firms are less likely to detect financial statement errors and ask for amendments. A cooling-off period might increase confidence in regulatory oversight, but its implementation could be challenging due to staff limitations.
Historian Dr Michael Edwards reveals that Samuel Pepys curated his correspondence to hide his connections to slavery and slave trading. In a surprising twist, Pepys rejected an offer of an enslaved boy as a bribe, demonstrating his sensitivity over the issue.
A new Canadian study found that people living with dementia are often excluded from research due to assumptions of incapacity and institutional processes. The study recommends standardized guidance for meaningful inclusion through rights-based approaches.
Researchers developed the Ocean Equity Index to rate ocean initiatives on their recognition of stakeholders, inclusion in decision-making, and treatment. The index offers a practical way to prioritize coastal communities' rights and voices, leading to more equitable outcomes.
Researchers found that complexity, including ground truth, real-world complexity, and stakeholder involvement, are key factors in reducing AI biases. By accounting for these complexities, developers can create more fair AI models.
Researchers found significant increases in assaults, larceny, and vehicle theft during and after professional sports games in states with legalized sports betting. Stressful game moments, such as close or tied scores, also contribute to aggressive behavior.
A new study found that financial advisors' childhood environment significantly predicts their core code of ethics, influencing their professional behavior. The research suggests that cultural norms from their hometown play a significant role in shaping their ethical foundations. This finding highlights the importance of considering the...
Researchers at Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown used machine learning techniques to show that mice's facial movements reflect their hidden thoughts. This discovery could offer unprecedented insight into brain function and potential new research tools.
A former diplomat warns that algorithms lack empathy and intuition, which are essential for successful negotiations. However, AI can streamline diplomacy and amplify human aspirations when used carefully. Diplomats need training in AI ethics and global cooperation to ensure equal access and deployment.
The University of Cincinnati has established the Center for Explainable, Ethical and Trustworthy AI (CEET) with a $498,430 federal grant. The center will explore AI explainability, ethics, and trustworthiness through research and public engagement initiatives.
Two former Department of Justice scientists argue for transformative crime prevention research prioritizing social justice alongside public safety. They emphasize the need for research incorporating community perspectives and collaborative approaches to prevent harm and promote justice.
A new study provides a framework for researchers to make their work more equitable and representative of local communities. The guidance highlights the importance of community-based research, where community members are actively involved in identifying research priorities and designing studies.
A new book introduces a structure that balances efficiency and fairness in optimization models, examining real-world effects of different approaches. It suggests that truly optimal results are fair ones, promoting informed and ethical choices in algorithm-driven world.
The ELSI University Summit in Japan brought together experts to discuss challenges and prospects of responsible AI development. Key findings include the need for ethics-driven approaches, collaboration between academia and industry, and the importance of setting evaluation indicators for Responsible AI.
The study analyzes 369,161 posts from Reddit's 'AITA?' board, finding that dilemmas concerning relational obligations were the most common type. Violations of trust, such as lying and cheating, were evaluated more negatively than acts of harm, highlighting the importance of trust in moral cognition.
A cross-sectional study found common experiences of gaslighting and substantial distress among patients with vulvovaginal disorders. The study emphasizes the need for education supporting a biopsychosocial approach to vulvovaginal pain, as well as the development of validated instruments to quantify patient experiences.
Researchers explore the potential risks of human-AI relationships, including interference with human social dynamics and the risk of AIs offering harmful advice. They call for more research on the psychological process involved, which could help intervene to prevent malicious AI advice from being followed.
Researchers found that victims of knowledge theft become more protective and territorial about their work, leading to a toxic environment. Organizations must confront and prevent knowledge theft by rewarding teams as a group and promoting the sharing of knowledge.
Philip Kitcher, a renowned Anglo-American philosopher, has received the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Humanities category. He is recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to philosophy, particularly in the areas of biology and democracy.
A national computing research agenda prioritizes ethical development practices, inclusive resources, and accountability measures to prevent technology harm. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge innovation and real-world social impact for vulnerable populations.
A recent study suggests that AI systems replicate and amplify existing social inequalities when left unchecked, particularly in high-stakes areas like hiring and welfare distribution. The researchers argue for the need for greater transparency, inclusivity, and accountability in AI governance to ensure its use serves social justice.
Researchers developed ItpCtrl-AI, a transparent AI framework that reads chest X-rays like a radiologist, providing accurate diagnoses and increasing trust in medical technology. The framework uses a gaze heat map to show the computer where to search for abnormalities and what section of the image requires less attention.
A new industry report highlights the potential risks of generative artificial intelligence in journalism, including misleadings content and bias, while also identifying opportunities for AI-assisted tasks. News audiences are more comfortable with AI when they use it themselves, but concern about job displacement remains.
A recent study by Aston University and University of Leipzig scholars found that workaholism can interfere with moral self-regulation and subsequent ethical behavior in organizations. This leads to employee silence on unethical practices, threatening organizational sustainability.
A survey of over 23,000 higher education students worldwide reveals mixed perceptions of ChatGPT's benefits and limitations. While students find it valuable for brainstorming and academic writing, they express concerns about its reliability, impact on critical thinking, and ethical issues.
The 'equity by design' framework proposed by Daryl Lim aims to maximize AI benefits while minimizing harm, particularly for underrepresented individuals. The approach embeds equity principles throughout the AI lifecycle, addressing biases and increasing inequality.
West Virginia University researchers Erin Brock Carlson and Scott Davidson have designed an interdisciplinary program to engage liberal arts faculty in discussions on the social, ethical and technical aspects of artificial intelligence. The program aims to support the creation or redesign of 10 courses incorporating AI, exploring its i...
Three UVA engineering professors, James T. Burns, Coleen Carrigan, and Liheng Cai, have received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from President Biden. The award recognizes their innovative work in science and technology, including Burns' research on material fracture under unique conditions and...
A new study aims to address bias and discrimination in AI by leveraging sociolinguistics. By incorporating diverse dialects, registers, and periods of language into training data, researchers can improve the performance of large language models, making them more accurate and reliable. This approach also promotes ethical and socially aw...
A new study highlights the risk of patient organizations losing independence due to funding from pharmaceutical companies. Researchers propose establishing a single database to track payments made to patient groups, doctors, and hospitals to improve transparency.
Researchers warn that AI assistants will combine intimate psychological and behavioral data with persuasive technologies to build trust and manipulate social behavior. The 'Intention Economy' could lead to a lucrative yet troubling marketplace where human intentions are commodified.
The Cambridge Handbook of the Law, Policy, and Regulation for Human-Robot Interaction addresses emerging issues in AI and robots, including privacy, safety, and regulation. The book offers valuable insights into ethical dilemmas and proposes solutions to balance enforceability and flexibility.
A new report outlines best practices and standards for human body donation programs in the US, emphasizing the importance of informed consent and oversight. The guidelines aim to uphold donor dignity and maintain highest ethical standards.
A recent University of New Hampshire study gauges public opinion on three fare policies aimed at reducing emissions. The standard policy, where all passengers pay a uniform price, is the most accepted approach, while nearly 60% express concerns about weight-based policies citing potential fairness issues and discrimination.
Alianza Americas co-founder Oscar Chacón will be awarded the 2025 Inamori Ethics Prize for his tireless advocacy on immigrant rights and economic justice. He has been recognized for his compassion and humanity in raising awareness about global challenges and promoting human dignity.
The book uses a 'history from below' approach to center the voices of petitioners, revealing how they framed their demands using language like justice, rights, and equity. Through over 4,000 petitions, Dr. Bright Alozie shows the significance of this genre in shaping colonial society and influencing decision-making.
Hoda Eldardiry receives $349,360 grant from NSF to develop practical competencies for students to apply ethical principles in AI system design. Her team aims to engage industry professionals to translate AI ethics into concrete decision-making.
A new study calls for the adoption of new research ethics policies to foster learning and discussion of ethical issues. The guidelines aim to shift from compliance-based ethics to promoting ethical norms and practices.
A new study reveals significant differences in how physicists from China, the US, and the UK approach ethical issues like mentorship and public engagement. Chinese scientists feel a strong obligation to serve both their government and society, while international counterparts prioritize communication of research findings.
A new study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers reveals that auditors with high honesty-humility scores are more likely to report financial misstatements, while those with low scores do not. This suggests that screening auditors for honesty-humility could enhance monitoring quality and prevent costly oversight failures.
Dr. Fyodor Urnav proposes a set of initiatives to address the crisis, including pooling patients by syndrome and permitting multiple gene editors in a single Investigational New Drug application. This approach aims to accelerate the development of CRISPR therapies for rare genetic diseases.
A study found that ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft mitigate the impact of driver racial discrimination on wait times, but systemic segregation persists. The research estimated that at least 3% of drivers must be discriminating based on race to produce cancellation disparities.
A UT Arlington study suggests that speaking up is key to ethical decision-making in research groups. The researchers found that fostering an environment where everyone feels empowered to voice concerns can help prevent unethical behavior. An 'ethical champion' who steps up to speak out against potential issues was a common finding.
A new study by Reichman University researchers found that individuals experiencing financial hardship tend to act more ethically, contrary to common beliefs. Despite economic temptation, those in need uphold their moral standards and actually cheat less than more affluent participants.
The University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science will create a character-building initiative with the new grant. The ECSI aims to develop future leaders who are prepared and motivated to apply values in professional contexts. UVA Engineering is committed to integrating character education into its undergraduate curr...
A study published in Future Foods found that German consumers are willing to try and buy cheese produced through precision fermentation. Emphasizing high product quality and environmental benefits increases acceptance, while concerns about traditional agriculture reduce willingness to purchase.
Researchers warn that bio-hybrid robots, which combine living tissue and synthetic components, present novel ethical dilemmas. The technology raises questions about sentience, moral value, and environmental impact, highlighting the need for proper governance and public awareness.
Researchers are developing a framework to combine AI and human intelligence in process safety systems, aiming to enhance safety and efficiency. The study identifies challenges and benefits of using Intelligence Augmentation (IA) and proposes strategies for effective implementation to minimize risks.
Researchers from SWPS University have re-examined the causes of obedience in the iconic Milgram experiment. The team found that physical proximity to the experimenter enhances subjects' willingness to obey, while proximity to the learner reduces it. This new understanding sheds light on the complex dynamics underlying human behavior.
A new study from the University of Birmingham and the University of Nottingham found that the UK public is more accepting of adoption and surrogacy methods when one or both parents are infertile. The research showed significant increases in support for these methods, including planned private adoption and double donor surrogacy.
A recent study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that people are more likely to support a politician who denies wrongdoing, especially if they share the same party affiliation. The research suggests that partisans tend to have different standards for different politicians, with those from their own party bei...
A study published in the Social Psychological Bulletin found that people who take revenge are morally condemned, but those who experience pleasure from doing so may be viewed as immoral. The researchers also discovered that when participants imagined themselves taking revenge, they perceived themselves as less moral than others.
AI chatbots, known as 'deadbots,' simulate deceased loved ones' language patterns and personality traits, risking psychological harm and digital 'hauntings.' Researchers outline three design scenarios highlighting the need for safeguards to prevent misuse.
A study by Georgia State University found that people rate AI responses as more virtuous and intelligent than human responses on moral issues. The AI system, ChatGPT, was able to fool participants into believing its responses were better, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of AI's role in society.
New research reveals that women entrepreneurs face significant biases in startup financing, with higher loan rejection rates and poorer credit terms. The study found that societies with greater women's empowerment actually exacerbate these gaps, suggesting a need for policy interventions to address the issue.
A study by van Leeuwen et al. found that cooperation theory can shed new light on the relationship between politics and morality. The researchers discovered nuanced differences in family and group values, as well as how they relate to conservative ideology.
Researchers at the University of Sydney and Queensland University of Technology have developed a new approach to designing cameras that process and scramble visual information. The approach, known as 'sighted systems,' creates distorted images that can still be used by robots to complete tasks but do not compromise privacy.
A recent study found that mimicking participants' actions or words increased feelings of guilt, contradicting the assumption that it fosters social bonding and reduces negative emotions. The researchers suggest that therapists carefully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of using mimicry in therapy.