ETHICAL ISSUES

• Brief: 

  • Participants are given a briefing- they can provide informed consent about whether to take part 
• Informed consent: (ETHICAL ISSUE)

  • Participants can make an informed judgement about whether to take part 
  • Participants could guess the aims of the study
• Presumptive Consent: (dealing with informed consent)

  • Asking a similar group of people how they would feel about taking part in the study. 
  • If they think it would be OK- it can be assumed that actual participants may find it acceptable 
• Prior General Consent: (Ways of dealing with informed consent)

  • Telling participants that they might be deceived about the true purpose of the study 
• Retrospective Consent: (ways of dealing with informed consent)

  • Participants are asked for their consent after the study (during the debrief)
• Deception: (ETHICAL ISSUE)

  • Deliberately misleading / withholding information
  • Participants should be fully debriefed after the study
• DEBRIEF: (Way of dealing with deception)

  • After research is complete- procedure / findings must be clearly explained to the participants 
  • Must be told the purpose of the research & why it was conducted
  • Must be told if they were deceived
  • Must ask if there are any questions (should be answered as fully & as honestly as possible)
• STEPS TO WRITE A DEBRIEF:

  • Aim
  • Details about the other conditions
  • Reference to specific ethical issues
  • Discuss any concerns / contact
• Protection from harm (ETHICAL ISSUE)

  • Causing psychological / physiological distress to participants for the purpose of the study only
  • Researcher should avoid risks greater than experienced in everyday life / stop the study if harm is suspected
• Right to withdraw (Way of dealing with protection from harm)

  • All participants should be informed that they can leave the study if they feel uncomfortable / distressed
  • Can also withdraw their data
  • Some may not withdraw- they may have been given incentives / feel like they are spoiling the study 
• Confidentiality & Privacy: (ETHICAL ISSUE)

  • Researchers should not record names -> use false names / numbers (anonymity)
  • May not be possible- can sometimes guess who the researchers were
  • Ways of dealing with confidentiality & privacy: No personal details should be collected