ethics -

• what are the four ethical considerations?

  • right to withdraw.
  • protection of participants.
  • informed consent.
  • confidentially.
• what is confidentiality?


  when you use any participants in research their identities should be protected so that other people can't identify them. Names should be kept anonymous and if a name has to be used, a pseudonym (fake name) should be given.
• what does protection of participants mean?


  all participants should be protected from any kind of harm or embarrassment when taking part in any study. Psychologists should try to avoid deceiving participants about the aim or any other part of the study, causing unnecessary pain, discomfort, stress or physical harm - participants should leave a study in the same state that they entered in.
• what does informed consent mean?


  when gathering participants they must be fully informed of what you will do to them and why you wish to use them in your research. Only when they agree are you allowed to use them in your research.
• what does right to withdraw mean?


  once participants have agreed to take part in your research you must then make sure that they are made aware of their right to leave the study at any point and take their data with them.