Ethical issues

• Ethical issues


  These arise when a conflict exists between the rights of participants in research studies and the goals of research to produce authentic, valid and worthwhile data.
• Informed consent

  • Involves making participants aware of the aims of the research, procedures their rights (rights to withdraw) and also what their data will be used for.
  • Participants should then make an informed decision whether or not to take part without being coerced or feeling obliged.
  • From researchers point of view, asking for informed consent may make the study meaningless because participants behaviour may not be natural as they know the aim of the study.
• Deception

  • Deliberately misleading or withholding information from participants at any stage of the investigation.
  • There are occasions where deception can be justified if it does not cause harm to the participants or undue distress.
• Protection from harm

  • Participants should not be placed at anymore risk than they are in their everyday lives and should be protected from physical and psychological harm.
  • Includes making them feel embarrassed or placing them under undue stress or pressure.
• Privacy and confidentiality

  • Participants have the right to control information about themselves.
  • This is the right of privacy.
  • If it is invaded then confidentiality should be protected.
  • Confidentiality refers to our own right under the data protection act to have any personal data protected.
  • The right for privacy extends to the area where the study took place, such as the institution and geographical locations are not named.
• How does the BPS control ethical issues?

  • British Psychological society has set of ethical guidelines (BPS code of ethics)
  • Guidelines are implicated by ethic committees in research institutions who often use a cost benefit approach to determine whether a particular research proposal is ethically acceptable.
• Dealing with informed consent

  • Participants should be issued a consent letter detailing all relevant information that might affect their decision to participant.
  • Assuming participant agrees, letter is signed.
  • For investigations involving children under 16 a signature of parental consent is required.
• Types of consent

  • Presumptive consent
  • Prior general consent
  • Retrospective consent
• Presumptive consent


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

  • Participants give their permission to take part in a number of different studies including ones which involve deception. By consenting participants are consenting to be deceived.
• Retrospective consent


  Participants are asked for their consent during debriefing, having already took part in the study. They may not have been aware of their participation or they may have been subject to deception.
• Dealing with deception and protection from harm

  • At the end of the study participants should be given a full debrief, where participants are made aware of the true aims and any details they were not aware of during the study e.g existence of other groups.
  • Participants should be told what their data is used for and must be given the right to withdraw data.
  • Participants may have concerns related to their performance during the study and should be reassured that their behaviour was normal and typical, and provided with a counsellor if needed.
• Dealing with confidentiality

  • IF personal data is held these must be protected.
  • However it is more normal to record no data (remain anonymity)
  • Researchers normally refer to participants using numbers or initials e.g patient HM
  • During briefing and debriefing participants are reminded that their data is protected throughout the process and not shared with any other researchers.