Ethics

• Dealing with lack of informed consent

  • Consent form - informing of relevant information
  • Prior general consent - giving general information such as they may be misinformed about true nature
• Dealing with deception

  • Presumptive consent - group with same characteristics asked whether they would agree to take part; if they would it is presumed the actual group would
  • Debriefing - full details provided after the study
• Dealing with harm

  • Debriefing - reassured about data which has been shared, contact details for follow - up or support, reminded of right to withdraw data
• Confidentiality

  • Legal right for protection of personal information under Data Protection Act, issue for publishing findings
  • Dealing with this: anonymity - personal details not recorded when necessary, use assigned number rather than real name
• Privacy

  • People don't expect to be observed in private areas, difficult to avoid invasion of privacy when studying participants without their awareness
  • Dealing with this: retrospective consent - debrief asking for this as data has already been collected, reminded of right to withdraw data
• Right to withdraw

  • Withdrawn participants can leave a biased sample
  • Dealing with this: reminded at the beginning, during and at the end in debrief
• British Psychological Society 


  Has a set of ethical guidelines for researchers to follow when carrying out research. A quasi - legal document instructing psychologists what behaviour is and isn't acceptable. Implemented by ethics committees who use a cost - benefit analysis.
• Ethical guidelines


  Regularly updated to show what is and isn't acceptable and how to deal with ethical dilemmas
• Ethics committees


  All research institutions have these, they must approve studies before hand and weigh up costs and benefits. They should include a lay person (non - expert)
• Cost Benefit Analysis


  Weighing up costs to participants and benefits of research to society. costs could be loss of time and distress, benefits could be improving people’s lives and participants being happy they participated
• Punishment


  If a psychologist behaves unethically, BPS will review the research and they may be barred from practice
• Ethical research designs should be in verbatim format
• Information sheet and consent form

  • explaining aims and objectives
  • opportunity to question researcher
  • withdraw any time
  • guaranteed anonymity and confidentiality
  • signed after understood and questioned have been answered