Research
Experimental
MyBioethics application aims to teach bioethics to all those who are interested in learning more about real bioethical challenges. To generate data on the app’s potential benefits to the users, we empirically study how the use of the app impacts users’ deliberative and moral competencies. In our experimental research setting, we will study whether the use of the app increases users’ ability to justify their decisions in moral dilemmas, search for the common good and recognize various ethical principles related to moral dilemmas. We will also make various changes to our research setting to study the impact of different design choices.
In-App
MyBioethics application has built-in research capabilities that are used to advance empirical exploration of moral intuition, ethical deliberation, and decision-making. With the approval of the authors of selected research instruments, we work to uncover interesting connections between relevant psychosocial constructs and detectable trends in the dilemma answers.
Research findings
The surveys listed below can be found in the application. Our users can utilise these for ethical self-reflection whilst anonymously contributing to a new form of empirical ethics research.
So far, two of our surveys, Existential Quest and Need for Cognition, have received over 100 entries. This sample already gives us an idea of the score distribution and enables us to make preliminary guesses about connections to specific ethical dilemmas.
Existential Quest
Openness to changes in one’s worldview
Items: 8
Scale: 0-48
Average score:
32.21 Points (of 142 submissions)
(N=135)
Need for Cognition
Tendency to engage in effortful thinking
Items: 6
Scale: 0-24
Average score:
16.91 Points (of 114 submissions)
(N=107)
Need for Affect
Tendency to approach or avoid powerful emotions
Items: 10
Scale: 0-30 (x2)
Factors: Approach, Avoidance
Average scores:
24.67 Points (of 52 submissions)
13.84 Points (of 50 submissions)
Nature Relatedness
Sense of connection with the nature
Items: 6
Scale: 0-24
Average score:
16.53 Points (of 74 submissions)
Life Orientation
Dispositional optimism or pessimism
Items: 6
Scale: 0-24
Average score:
15.25 Points (of 20 submissions)
More coming soon…
The table below displays some of our preliminary findings. These are connections between surveys and dilemmas, hinting that these factors may play a role in our ethical decision-making.
Positive correlation means that users with higher scores are more likely to answer A. Instead, a correlation equal to zero means that there is no connection between the dilemma and the survey. H0 stands for the Zero Hypothesis, which asserts there to be no difference between the users that answered A or B, regarding the survey in question.
| Dilemma | Survey | Correlation (r) | H0 probability (p) | Sample (n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moral Imagination #2 | NC | -,15 | ,14 | 100 |
| Ethical Argumentation #2 | EQ | -,15 | ,11 | 117 |
| Informed Consent #3 | EQ | ,24 | ,05 | 67 |
| Self-Experimentation #1 | NC | ,22 | ,04 | 94 |
| Commodification #2 | NR | -,23 | ,07 | 66 |
| Healthcare Autonomy #2 | NC | -,16 | ,10 | 101 |
| “ | NR | -,24 | ,05 | 66 |
| Patienthood #2 | EQ | ,23 | ,10 | 51 |
To explore our findings in detail, download the application and complete the lessons!
More findings will be released once a statistically significant number of entries has been submitted and we have sufficiently analyzed the data. Every new answer helps to improve the results. Already, we have hundreds of registered users from 48 countries; these are shown below.
Update sign-up
If you wish to stay up to date on the experimental and/or in-app research attached to MyBioethics you can write your email address in the field below to get semi-annual updates and occasional invites to virtual presentations. All previous update posts can be found below. You can ask to be removed from the email list at any time.
To request restricted access to the anonymous database stewarded by the research team for a legitimate study purpose, please contact us through support.
Our warmest thanks!
We want to express our warmest thanks to all our research collaborators. You can also review our team, advisors, and sponsors here.
