ethical issues

• what are ethical issues

  • issues that arise when a conflict exists between the rights of participants in research studies and the goals of research to produce authentic valid data
• what is the bps code of ethics

  • a quasi legal document produced by the British psychological society that instructs psychologists in the uk about what behaviour is and isnt acceptable when dealing with particioants
• informed consent

  • making participants aware of the aims of the research the procedures their rights and what there data will be used for
  • from a researcher perspective asking for informed consent might make the study meaningless becuase ps behaviour will not be natural as they know the aims
• deception

  • delibrately misleading or witholding information from ps during the investigation
  • linked to informed consent
  • ps who dont know the true aims cannot be said to have given informed consent
  • if deception doesnt cause distress to ps it may be justified
• protection from harm

  • ps should not be placed at any more physical/mental harm or risk than they would in their everyday life
• right to withdraw

  • ps should be aware and reminded of the fact they they have the right to leave the study at any point
• privacy and confidentiality

  • personal data should be protected and anonymous
• ethical issues

  • informed consent
  • deception
  • right to withdraw
  • protection from harm
  • privacy and confidentiality
• bps code of conduct

  • bps has its own code of ethics which includes a set of ethical guidlines
• dealing with informed consent

  • ps should be given a consent letter/form which includes all relevant information that might affect their decision to participate
  • with children under 16, parental consent is required
• different types of consent

  • pre- sumptive consent = a similar group of people are asked if the study is acceptable
  • prior general consent= ps give their consent to take part in a number of different studies including one that will involve deception. by consenting ps are effectively consenting to be deceived
  • retrospective consent= ps are asked for their consent during de briefing having already taken part in the study
• dealing with deception and protection from harm

  • at the end of the study ps are given a full debrief, where they are made aware of the true aims of the investigation and any details they were not told during the experiment
  • ps must be told what their data will be used for and must be given the right to withold data if they wish
  • ps may have natural concerns related to there performance and should be assured their behaviour is normal
  • if ps have experienced stress or embarrasmment they may require counselling which researchers should provide
• dealing with confidentiality

  • personal data must be protected
  • researchers should maintain anonymity by referring to ps using numbers or initials
  • during debriefing and briefing ps are reminded there data will be protected throughout the process