Ethical issues

• guidelines

  • informed consent
  • avoiding deception
  • protection from harm
  • privacy
  • confidentiality
  • right to withdraw
  • dealing with issues in research
• Informed Consent

  Making p aware of aims of research, procedures, their rights(right to withdraw), and also what data will be used for.

  They should then make an informed judgement on whether or not to take part without being coerced/feeling obliged

  • P should be issued with a consent form detailing all relevant info. Under 16 needs parental consent
• presumptive consent


  similar group of people asked if study is acceptable. consent is then presumed
• prior general consent


  participants give permission to take part in several different studies- including ones involving deception.
• retrospective consent


  participants asked for consent having already taken part in study. might not have been aware of participation/may have been subject to deception
• Deception

  Deliberately misleading/withholding info from p at any stage of investigation.

  Cannot be said to have given informed consent if they didn’t agree to this

  • P should be given a full debrief at end of study so they are aware of true aims & details they were not given during.
  • Offer counselling
• Protection from harm

  BPS- P should not be placed in any more danger than they would be in their daily life.

  Should be protected from physical + psychological harm

  • Remind them of right to withdraw
• Privacy & Confidentiality

  P have right to control info about themselves.

  Confidentiality refers to our right, enshrined in law under Data Protection Act

  • Maintain anonymity (P referred to as numbers/initials)
  • During briefing & debriefing they should be reminded their data will be protected throughout whole process & wont be shared with other researchers