Introducing 

Prezi AI.

Your new presentation assistant.

Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.

Loading…
Transcript

The Aversion Project

scientific method

Step 1: identify the topic of interest

The aversion project was a medical torture program in South Africa between 1971 and 1989, during the apartheid era (a time of extreme segregation), which was led by Dr. Aubrey Levin. The experiments consisted of identifying gay soldiers in the South African defence forces, and unwillingly being forced to submit themselves to be cured of the homosexuality because being gay was considered to be a disease.

Step 2: formulate a hypothesis

Independent variables: type of therapy used

Dependent variables: the sexuality of the soldiers

Hypothesis: if homosexuals are exposed to aversion therapy then they would become heterosexuals.

Step 3: research method and study design

Victims were being yield to chemical castration and electric shock treatment, which was all supposed to cure them of homosexuality. Soldiers were strapped to wire than produced currents and then shown photos of naked men, whenever they showed any form of sexual response the voltage was increased.

Step 4: data collection

To collect data, the project staff directly observed the behaviour of the victims carefully and also used physiological recording to monitor the psychological progression of their patients.

Step 5: analyse data

The behaviour of many patients were closely observed however not many were “reoriented” after the treatment. In many cases victims who failed the procedure were forced to proceed with a sex change operation. Many of these experiments were left incomplete due to the lack of means to pay for expensive hormone by patients.

Step 6: draw conclusions

This experiment had failed miserably. Forced gender reassignment by harsh, physically and psychologically damaging methods does not nor can it “cure homosexual. One’s sexual orientation is not a disease as Dr. Levin would call it, but is based possible on genetics and/or subjects to trauma that is gender specific. Many of the 900 individuals affected by Levin’s project have been reported to have committed suicide due to the mental distress and confusion. the results have shown nothing remotely upright, the experiment have shown to also be awfully negatively affecting to the individuals well-being.

Step 7: report findings

After the apartheid ended in 1994, South Africa’s Truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) heard testimonies on the topic of the Aversion Project the Levin lead during his time in the south African defence force and details were officially published in 1999 though protected Levin’s identity. Later in 2001 a paper published called “the Aversion Project: Psychiatric abuses in the south African defence force during the apartheid era” which exposed him for the disgusting unethically experiments he performed which led to him being convicted of several charges of sexual assault and having his license suspended and a five year jail sentence.

How can this experiment be modified?

The Aversion project isn’t rank in the top 10 unethically experiments for nothing, this project have breached many of the code of ethics and crossed lines further than that. In today’s society we (at least majority of us) understand that homosexual is not a disease that can be “cured”. The mental, physical and psychological well-being of every individual involved in the experiment had been completely disregarded by Levin when he would terrorizing them, leaving them scarred for the rest of their lives.

How the experiment breached the code of ethics.

professional conduct: the project staff conducted the research in a way that was definitely unprofessional, participants were wrongfully treated and sexually, mentally and physically abused.

Withdrawal: participants of this horrid experiment were refused withdrawal, despite any pain or uneasiness they felt.

Voluntary participation: the participants were unwillingly forced to participate in the research and were forced to undergo surgery.

Informed consent: participants of this project were not given the choice of whether they wanted to participate, nor were they informed on aim or procedure involved in the research.

Learn more about creating dynamic, engaging presentations with Prezi