Ethics

• What are some ethical issues in psychological studies?

  - Informed Consent

  - Deception

  - Protection From Harm

  - Privacy and Confidentiality
• What is informed consent?

  Making participants aware of the aims of the research, procedure, their rights (including rights to withdraw) and what their data will be used for
• Why from the researchers point of view asking for informed consent may make the study meaningless?

  Because the participants behaviour will not be 'natural' as they know the aims of the study
• How can the researcher deal with informed consent?

  Participants should be issued with a consent letter or a form which details all relevant information that may affect their decision to participate and get the participant to sign it

  
  

  for investigations involving children under 16, a signature of parental consent is required
• What is deception?

  misleading or withholding information from participants

  
  

  e.g participants who have not received adequate information when they agreed to take part
• when can deception be justified?

  when it doesn't cause the participant distress
• How can researchers deal with deception and protection from harm?

  At the end of the study: participants should be given a full debrief - participants should know true aims of the investigation and any details they were not supplied with during the study e.g existence of other groups or conditions

  
  

  should also be aware of what their data will be used for, must be given right to withdraw

  
  

  should be reassured that their behaviour was normal or typical if concerned about their performance in investigation
• What is protection from harm?

  Participants not being placed at any more risk that they would be in their daily lives

  
  

  should be protected from physical and psychological harm e.g from stress or embarrassment

  
  

  should be reminded that they can withdraw
• What is privacy and confidentiality?

  Participants having the right to control information about themselves
• How do researchers deal with confidentiality?

  - personal details must be protected

  
  

  - researchers could refer to participants as numbers or initials when writing up investigations

  
  

  - during briefing and debriefing participants should be reminded that their data will be protected throughout the process

  
  

  data shouldn't be shared with other researchers
• What are alternative ways to get consent so participants don't alter their behaviour?

  Presumptive Consent

  Prior General Consent

  Retrospective consent
• Presumptive Consent

  similar group of people are asked if the study is acceptable, if the group agrees then the consent of the original participants is presumed
• Prior general consent

  participants give permission to take part in number of different studies

  including one that will involve deception

  
  

  participants 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.