The Aversion Experiment

by Dr. Aubrey Levin

ETHICAL ISSUES IN PSYC HOLOGY
SELEN İMGE EKEN SEMİHA TAŞDELEN
SERR A TUNA B ITR AK DİLARA YILMAZ
İLAYDA ÖZGÖNÜL MERVE NUR KAYA
Brief Background
(Semiha Taşdelen)
- 1971-1981
- South Africa
- Homosexuals (men and women) from
the military
- 900 people around 16-24 ages
Aim of the experiment Serra Tuna Bıtrak

- Sexual preferences of homosexual women and men

- Hypothesis: Exposing homosexual participants to
avoidance
therapy makes them heterosexual.
Method of the experiment Dilara Yılmaz-İlayda
Özgönül

- Electroshock treatment
- Forced to look at the picture to set up fantasy
- Chemically castration
- Forced to change their sexual orientation
- 900 individual operations
- New birth certificate to participants expelled from the army
Results of the experiment Merve Nur Kaya

- Failed electroshock treatments

- Psychological damage and suicide
- Hypothesis was proven wrong
- Support programs for survivors
- “HOMOSEXUALITY IS NOT A DISEASE.”
- Dr. Levin was found guilty
Ethical Issues in the experiment Selen İmge Eken

- Human rights violation (Abandoning soldiers naked on the operating table and
not finishing their post-surgery «treatment», also related to Principle E.)
- Ethical Principle A: Beneficence violation (Not caring about participant’s health
and leaving them on the table.)
- Ethical Principle A: Nonmaleficence violation (Chemical castrations and
electroshock treatments.)
- Ethical Principle B: Fidelity violation (Not having professional relationships with
the participants, not debriefing them about their so-called «treatments».)
Discussion Questions

1) This experiment is published in the newspaper, so people are watching this experiment. Isn't
that a case against moral ethics in humans? How did people allow it?

2) If such an experiment had not been carried out, what would be the position of the ethical
committees, APA?
What About The APA?
According to the APA, practitioners of conversion therapies believe that failing to change
someone’s sexual orientation is a «personal and moral failure» («Aubrey Levin, Mike Pence & a
Return of ‘Conversion Therapies’, 2017).
APA says that there isn’t a scientific research that displays evidence of conversion therapies to
be “safe or effective”. Moreover, encouraging these therapies can result in bad ways since it’s
just “reinforcing stereotypes on lesbian, gay and bisexual persons.” (APA, 2008).
In the 3rd section of the APA’s Code of Conduct, there are parts regarding “sexual harassment”
(see 3.02) and “avoiding harm” (see 3.04). These parts clearly state that physical, verbal or
nonverbal harassment are unacceptable, and psychologists should avoid harming and torturing
behavior. And in the “informed consent” (see 3.10) part, it’s clearly stated that not informing
participants is not ethical. This is also repeated in the 10th section (see 10.01).
What About the APA?
There’s also a part called «unfair discrimination» in the 3rd section that says, “psychologists do
not engage in unfair discrimination based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity,
culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or any basis
proscribed by law.” (see 3.01).
So Dr. Aubrey Levin’s experiment violated APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of
Conduct. And in 2014, he was sentenced with 5 years in prison.
References
- American Psychological Association. (2008). Answers to your questions: For a better understanding of sexual orientation
and homosexuality. Washington, DC: Author. [Retrieved from www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/orientation.pdf.]
-American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Washington, DC:
Author.
- Belkin, A., & Canaday, M. (2010). Assessing the Integration of Gays and Lesbians into the South African National Defence
Force. Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies. 38(2): 1-21.
- Calgary Psychiatrist Who Molested Three Court-Appointed Patients Gets 5 Years In Prison. (2013, January 31). Retrieved
from
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/calgary-psychiatrist-who-molested-three-court-appoint-patients-gets-5-years-in-pri
son
- Kaplan, Robert. (March 2001).
"The Aversion Project Psychiatric Abuses in the South African Defense Force During the Apartheid Era"
- Public Health Lessons. (2016, April 10). The Aversion Project on Video Tape. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp6KjDCFOog .
- Throwback Thursday- Aubrey Levin, Mike Pence & a return of »Conversion Therapies». (2017, March 23). Retrieved from
https://aubreylevinvictims.wordpress.com /category/the-aversion-project-2/