Ethical concerns in research

• Deception:

  When ppts are not told the true aims of the study deliberately and/or are misled about something in the study

  Dealt through:

  • Debrief the ppts post research about true aim/nature
  • Give ppts the right to withdraw at any point
  • Obtain presumptive consent
• Risk to values,beliefs,relationships:

  Impact of the research on the ppts such as if their beliefs are challenged or if the research damages relationships with others

  Dealt through:

  • Give ppts the right to withdraw if they feel like their beliefs or values are challenged
• Privacy:

  The ppts keeping behaviour or attitudes secret due to their sensitive nature 

  Dealt through:

  • Research such as observations or field studies are conducted in public spaces
• Valid Consent:

  Ppts are asked to give permission to take part in the study and should know the nature

  Dealt through:

  • Vulnerable individuals cannot give consent must be obtained from their responsible person
  • Presumptive, prior informed, parental or retrospective consent
• Risk of stress,anxiety,humiliation,pain:

  Ppts should be protected psychologically and physically, mustn't be placed at more risk than they would everyday

  Dealt through:

  • Offer ppts the right to withdraw
  • Debrief to reassure behaviour is normal
  • Offer counselling if needed/wanted
• Confidentiality:

  Ppts details/data remains anonymous so they can’t be identified

  Dealt through:

  • Use fake names,initials,numbers(pseudonym name)
• Vulnerable individuals:

  Classed as children under 16, people in care, people in criminal activity and disabled people(communication/learning difficulties)

  Ethical concerns:

  • Valid consent
  • Susceptibility to psychological harm
  • Increased risk of physical harm
  • Long term effects

  Dealt through:

  • Consent from legal guardian
  • Right to withdraw
  • Harm does not exceed everyday life
  • Debrief/tailoring to the needs of the ppt
  • Seek permission from ethics committee
• Working with animals:

  Researcher obtains 3 licenses(research project, the researcher and laboratory)

  Ethical concerns:

  • Risk of harm(pain,suffering,distress)
  • Care requirements(companions, food intake)

  Dealt through:

  • Follow BPS guidelines
  • Minimise discomfort
  • Consider alternatives
  • Use minimal number of animals
• Ethics committees:

  Committees are found in institutions, they review research proposals to assess if the benefits justify the possibility of physical or psychological harm.

  Members included experts in the field along with lay people(normal people)

  The committees may request researchers to change study designs/procedures or deny approval of the study altogether

  They are beneficial as they provide a second check that the research being done is ethical, they ensure ppts rights are mets and often involve individuals (lay people) who represent the ppts
• Ethical guidelines:

  Guidelines provide a set of recommendations about how psychologists should and should not conduct research ethically

  Guidelines are published by the governing bodies of psychology such as the British Psychological Society (BPS) in the UK

  Guidelines provide a set of standards for psychologists to follow when carrying out research, members of the BPS have to follow their guidelines or they may risk being censured

  Current BPS guidelines ensure te respect, autonomy, privacy and dignity of individuals and communities involved in psychological research