9.3.3 Ethical Issues in Psychological Research

• What are ethical issues in psychological research primarily concerned with?

  Compromising well-being or rights
• Participants must be fully informed about the study's purpose, procedures, and potential risks, and agree to participate voluntarily. This principle is called informed
• Deception is always unethical and should never be used in psychological research.

  False
• What must researchers ensure when using deception in a study?

  Debriefing after the study
• Participants have the right to leave the study at any time without consequence. This is known as the right to withdraw
• Match the ethical principle with its description:

  Confidentiality ↔️ Keeping personal information secure

  Informed Consent ↔️ Agreement based on full information

  Protection from Harm ↔️ Shielding participants from risk

  Right to Withdraw ↔️ Leaving the study without penalty
• What organization provides ethical guidelines for psychological research in the UK?

  British Psychological Society
• The BPS ethical guidelines are based on four main principles: respect, competence, responsibility, and integrity
• Treating participants as individuals with autonomy is a key aspect of the BPS principle of respect.
• What does the BPS principle of responsibility emphasize in research?

  Debriefing participants thoroughly
• Researchers must avoid deception unless justified and followed by a debriefing, aligning with the BPS principle of integrity
• What is the purpose of informed consent in research?

  To ensure voluntary participation
• Steps in obtaining informed consent

  1️⃣ Provide information about the study

  2️⃣ Assess participant understanding

  3️⃣ Ensure voluntary agreement
• Failure to obtain informed consent can lead to ethical breaches and legal liabilities.
• When is deception justified in psychological research?

  When necessary for validity
• Deception must be followed by a thorough debriefing
• In a study on obedience, participants were deceived into believing they were administering electric shocks.
• Which BPS principle allows deception if justified and followed by a debriefing?

  Integrity
• What are ethical issues in psychological research concerned with?

  Well-being or rights
• Informed consent requires participants to be fully informed about the purpose, procedures, and potential risks
• Deception in research is always unethical and should be avoided.

  False
• What must researchers ensure to protect participants from harm?

  Physical and psychological safety
• Participants have the right to withdraw from a study at any time without consequence
• Confidentiality in research is mathematically symbolized as C = \sqrt{P}</latex>.
• What organization provides ethical guidelines for psychological research?

  BPS
• The BPS principle of respect ensures informed consent and protects participant dignity
• The BPS principle of competence requires researchers to maintain professional skills.
• What does the BPS principle of responsibility emphasize in research?

  Participant well-being
• The BPS principle of integrity requires researchers to avoid deception unless it is justified and followed by a thorough debriefing
• What are the three key elements of informed consent in research?

  Information, understanding, voluntariness
• Coercion is acceptable in research if it ensures higher participation rates.

  False
• What is the mathematical formula for the effectiveness of informed consent?

  $E =$$I \times U \times V$
• Deception in research is sometimes necessary to prevent demand characteristics
• Debriefing after deception is optional if participants did not suffer harm.

  False
• What is the primary purpose of the right to withdraw in research?

  Ensure participant autonomy
• The mathematical effectiveness of the right to withdraw is symbolized asW = \sqrt{F} \times P</latex>, where $F$ represents freedom from coercion
• Debriefing is required after a study to alleviate any psychological distress caused to participants.
• What is the mathematical formula for the level of safety in research?

  $S =$$1 - \frac{R}{P}$
• Confidentiality in research means keeping participants' personal information secure and protected from unauthorized disclosure
• Why is confidentiality essential in psychological research?

  Maintain trust and respect