Ethical issues

• Ethical issues arise when a CONFLICT or DILEMMA exists between the participants' RIGHTS and the researchers' NEEDS to gain valuable and meaningful findings.

  • Is it acceptable to lie to participants about the purpose of the research, or should we be upfront and tell them what it is about
  • Is causing psychological harm and distress to a person ever acceptable
• The British Psychological Society (BPS) is a professional body that has a code of ethics, which includes ethical guidelines.

  Researchers have an obligation to follow these guidelines to ensure that all participants are treated with respect and will come to no significant harm during the research process.

  The guidelines are implemented by ethics committees in universities who often use a cost-benefit approach
• Informed consent - Participants should know what they are getting themselves in for before the study begins.

  They should know the aims before the start

  They should sign a form stating they agree to take part

  They should know they have a the right to withdraw at any point - Even if we have paid them

  However, this means the participants' behaviour will not be natural
• Participants should be issued with a consent letter(informed consent form), that details all the relevant information that might affect their decision to participate

  If the participants agree, they sign the form, and the study goes ahead with them taking part

  If they refuse, they walk away and are not included
• For children under 16, parental consent is needed

  It is possible to gain consent from those in "Loco parentis", e.g. A teacher
• From a researcher's point of view the problem with asking for informed consent is that it may spoil the research - Participants then know what is being studied and alter their behaviour accordingly. Psychologists have tried to address this problem by devising three alternatives
• Presumptive consent: Rather than getting consent from the participants themselves, a similar group of people are asked if the study is acceptable. If this group agrees, the consent of the original participants is "Presumed"
• Prior general consent: Participants give their permission to take part in a number of different studies - Including one that will involve deception. By consenting, participants are effectively consenting to be deceived
• Retrospective consent: Participants are asked for their consent (during debriefing) having already taken part in the study. They may not have been aware of their participation or they may have been subject to deception
• Deception - This is linked to informed consent

  It means deliberately withholding information or lying to participants about the aim of the study

  Deception may be okay if it does not cause undue distress

  It should only be used if there is no alternative, e.g. If you tell a participant you are doing a study on obedience, it will ruin the whole thing

  Deception may be needed to get the participants to behave naturally
• At the end of a study, participants should be given a full debrief

  This should include:

  • True aims of the study
  • Any other details, e.g. Other conditions/groups
  • Should be told what the data will be used for
  • Must be given the right to withhold data/right to withdraw if they wish
  • In other words, they can STILL not be included in the results, even though they have "Gone through" with the study

  Participants may have natural concerns about their performance behaviour. This is dealt with by offering counselling, particularly if participants are distressed by their participation in the study
• Privacy and confidentiality - Participants have the right to control information about themselves - This is called privacy

  Participants should not be studied in places that would be considered an invasion of privacy

  If our privacy is invaded, then our confidentiality should be protected

  Names should never be used

  We might use someone's initials or a pseudonym
• If personal details are held, these must be protected

  Psychologists usually record no personal details and simply refer to people using a number or their initials, to maintain anonymity
• Protection from harm - Participants should be protected from physical and psychological harm

  E.g. Being embarrassed, humiliated, feel inadequate, placed under undue stress or pressure

  They should also be reminded about their right to withdraw at any time