Collaborative Research: Ethical Implications of Values in Computational Modeling

该研究项目由科学与社会计划的伦理与价值观研究组成部分资助，研究价值观在计算建模中的作用，这些价值观如何通过专业和组织文化塑造，以及价值观对计算模型作为产品的成功的影响。 计算模型每天都在各种各样的产品和政策中使用。 这些模型通常被视为纯粹的数学抽象，没有价值观内容或伦理含义。然而，这些模型并不是纯粹的抽象，而是它们只与它们的输入一样好，包括计算建模者的值。 该研究建立在由NSF资助的企业研究实验室的实地研究基础上。探索性研究的第一个主要发现是计算模型的设计和使用受到嵌入和上下文价值的影响。第二个主要发现是，组织文化在影响计算建模过程中起着关键作用。第三个主要发现是，价值观有助于塑造作为产品的模型的成功。在其他领域的网站与不同的组织文化的进一步研究是必要的，以确定调查结果的一般有效性，并检查组织文化和计算建模的价值观之间的关系。 第一次实地研究成功地证明了该方法的有效性和有效性，并产生了新的研究问题，需要进一步的研究。基于研究目的和第一次实地调查的结果，本研究提出了三个假设：1）嵌入式价值观和情境价值观在建模过程的各个阶段都起着重要作用：2）嵌入式价值观和情境价值观与计算模型的设计和使用有关，它们与组织和职业文化有关; 3）计算模型的设计和使用中所嵌入的和与之相关的价值不仅影响计算建模过程的成功，而且影响作为产品的计算模型的成功。 这项研究剩下的两个实地地点包括一个学术实验室和一个政府实验室。研究方法，包括访谈，调查，参与者观察，和焦点小组，已通过第一次实地研究验证和完善。数据收集和分析将包括在一年内对每个研究中心进行三次实地研究中心访问。该项目将产生重要的产品，包括会议演讲，同行评审期刊的手稿和一本书的手稿。 这项研究证明了价值观在计算建模中的重要性。特别是，嵌入式和上下文的价值在设计和使用的计算模型中发挥了重要作用的发现是一个新的和重要的发现，值得进一步研究的建模伦理，计算伦理和价值敏感设计的文献。 该研究还证明了组织和专业文化对计算建模价值观的影响。 这项研究产生了一个更好的理解价值观如何影响建模过程和模型作为产品的成功。 这项研究的结果将通过展示与计算建模中的价值观相关的道德选择的重要性来改善计算机科学家的实践。这些发现将告知计算模型的管理者，价值观在计算模型的成功中发挥着重要作用。 这项研究还表明了职业和组织道德守则的重要性。管理人员需要负责在组织内制定和执行道德标准，同时应鼓励建模人员遵守职业和组织道德守则。此外，研究有助于计算建模人员及其管理人员的道德教育。本研究的结果可用于计算和信息伦理的一般课程，以及计算建模人员的专业道德的特定课程和培训。

This research project, funded by the Ethics and Values Studies component of the Science and Society Program, examines the role of values in computational modeling, how these values are shaped by professional and organizational cultures, and the effects of values on the success of computational models as products. Computational models are used every day in a wide variety of products and policies. Such models are often treated as pure mathematical abstractions with no values content or ethical implications. However, these models are not pure abstractions, but rather they are only as good as their inputs, including the values of computational modelers. The research builds on a field study of a corporate research laboratory funded by NSF. The first major finding of the exploratory study was that the design and use of computational models is affected by both embedded and contextual values. The second major finding was that organizational culture plays a key role in influencing the computational modeling process. The third major finding was that values help to shape the success of models as products. Further research at additional field sites with different organizational cultures is necessary to determine the general validity of the findings and to examine the relationship between organizational culture and the values of computational modeling. The first field study was successful in demonstrating the validity and effectiveness of the method, and generated new research questions that require additional research. Based on the research objectives and the findings of the first field study, three hypotheses guide the research: 1) embedded and contextual values play important roles in all of the stages of the modeling process; 2) values embedded in and contextual to the design and use of computational models are tied to organizational and professional cultures; and 3) values embedded in and contextual to the design and use of computational models influence the success not only of the computational modeling process but also of computational models as products. The two remaining field sites for this research include an academic laboratory and a government laboratory. The research method, including interviews, surveys, participant observation, and focus groups, has been validated and refined through the first field study. Data collection and analysis will include three field site visits over a one-year period for each site. This project will lead to important products, including conference presentations, manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, and a book manuscript. This study demonstrates the importance of values in computational modeling. In particular, the finding that both embedded and contextual values play an important role in the design and use of computational models is a novel and important finding for the literatures on the ethics of modeling, the ethics of computing, and value-sensitive design that merits further investigation. The study also demonstrates the influence of organizational and professional cultures on values in computational modeling. This research generates a better understanding of how values impact the success of the modeling process and of models as products. The findings of this study will improve practice by computer scientists by demonstrating the importance of ethical choices related to values in computational modeling. The findings will inform managers of computational modelers about the important role that values play in the success of computational models. This study also demonstrates the importance of professional and organizational codes of ethics. Managers need to be responsible in making and enforcing ethical standards within organizations, while modelers should be encouraged to follow both professional and organizational codes of ethics. In addition, the research contributes to ethics education for computational modelers and their managers. The findings of this study can be used for general classes in computing and information ethics as well as specific courses and training in professional ethics for computational modelers.