ethical issues

• Many psychology studies conducted before the 1980’s contain ethical issues.

  The ethical guidelines that studies must adhere to today were not yet implemented, meaning that many ethically questionable studies were conducted which we would no longer be able to conduct today.
• Ethical issues arise when a conflict exists between the rights of participants in research studies and the goals of the research to produce valid and worthwhile data
• Informed consent involves making pp’s aware of the aims of the research, the procedure and their rights.

  Participants should then make an informed judgement on whether or not they want to take part.

  Problem:

  If you gain informed consent the pp’s will know the aim of the study and their behaviour won’t be natural

  dealing with issue -

  • Pps should be given a consent letter with the relevant information for them to sign
  • For studies with children under 16, a parental consent signature is required
• Other methods of getting consent:

  Presumptive consent

  • Gain consent from a similar group of people instead of pps (consent is ‘presumed’)

  Prior general consent

  • Pps give their permission to take part in a number of different studies, on involving deception

  Retrospective consent

  • Pps are asked for their consent during debriefing
• Deception means deliberately misleading/withholding information from the pp’s.

  This links to informed consent as if they don’t know all of they information they can not give informed consent

  Problem:

  If you don’t deceive the pp’s they will know the aim of the study and their behaviour won’t be natural

  Dealing with issue:

  • At the end of the study the pp’s should be debriefed (made aware of the true aims of the study)
• Participants have the right to control information about themselves and their privacy should be protected.

  Confidentiality means that their personal data should be protected

  Dealing with issue:

  • Don’t record personal details e.g. maintain anonymity by referring to pps with numbers/initials
  • Remind pp’s during debrief that their data will be protected.
• debrief - At the end of a study pp’s should be told the true aims of the study.

  They should be reassured their performance /behaviour was normal

  If pp’s were subject to stress/harm they should be offered counselling
• Participants should be given the right to withdraw at any point in the study with no consequences.

  Should be given the option to withdraw their data from the study
• Participants shouldn’t be placed at any more risk than they would in their daily lives

  Should be protected from physical and psychological harm e.g. embarrassment, stress or pressure.