ethical issues

• what are 4 ethical issues?

  informed consent

  protection from harm

  deception

  privacy + confidentiality
• what is informed consent?

  Making participants aware of the aims of the study,the procedures involved and their rights, and what the data will be used for before they get into it --> allows them to decide whether they want to take part or not
• what is the problem with informed consent?

  participants know the aims of the study - demand characteristics - their behaviour won't be natural
• what are the solutions to informed consent?

  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, then the consent of the original participants is 'presumed'

  
  

  Prior general consent: participants give their permission to take part in a number of studies - including one that will involve deception. By consenting, participants are effectively consenting to be deceived

  
  

  Retroactive consent: participants are asked for their consent (during a debriefing) having already taken part in the study. They may not be have been aware of their participation or they may have been subject to deception
• what is deception?

  deliberately withholding or giving false information to participants --> only acceptable when knowing the nature of the investigation would lead to participants guessing the aim of the investigation
• what are the solutions to deception?

  full debrief at the end of the experiment

  told what their data is used for

  reminder of their right to withdraw
• what s protection from harm?

  During the study, participants should not be placed under any more risk than they would in their everyday lives and should be protected from psychological and physical harm
• what is the solution to protection from harm?

  participants should be reminded they have the right to withdraw, be provided with reassurance and counselling if required
• what is privacy and confidentialty?

  Participants have the right to control information about themselves, this is a right of privacy. If this is invaded then confidentiality should be protected. Confidentiality refers to our right, enshrined in law under the data protection act, to have any personal data protected.
• how is privacy and confidentiality dealt with?

  personal details must be protected, so not recording personal details (ie. anonymity) is common, researchers often refer to participants using initials or numbers