Ethics

• Ethical guidelines are rules that practicing psychologists are expected to follow. This was published by the BPS in the UK and APA in the USA.
• BPS code of ethics - Designed to inform and assist our members in the practical and professional application of psychology, from research and teaching to clinical practice.
• Informed consent - Consent is not valid if participants are not informed of what they are agreeing to. Before conducting a study, participants may sign a form stating that they have read and understood the study's purpose and procedures. If they are unable to give consent themselves, it may be gained from a parent or guardian.
• Right to withdraw - Participants must be reminded of their right to withdraw at any stage with no adverse consequence. This includes withdrawing data collected from them.
• Protection from harm - Researcher is responsible for designing research that does not risk the psychological well-being, physical health, personal values and dignity of participants.
• Confidentiality - Participant's personal data must be kept securely by the researcher and not shared at any costs. When the research is published, it should not include the identity of the participant or information which could reveal the identity of them.
• Debriefing - After data is collected and the study is complete, the researcher should offer debriefing which would reveal any information that has been withheld (such as the existence of other groups). At this stage, they can also double check for any psychological / physical harm and offer assistance and counselling.
• Dealing with ethical issues - Consent:

  Revealing the true aims of the study when asking for informed consent may lead to demand characteristics. This can be avoided by using alternatives:

  • Prior general consent - Agreeing to a long list of potential features, not knowing exactly which aspects will be included.
  • Retroactive consent - Asking for consent after the study. If consent is not given, all data must be destroyed.
  • Presumptive consent - Researcher asks a group similar to the sample if they would agree to take part in the study; if yes, it assumes that the participants would also agree
• Dealing with ethical issues:

  If the research design requires deception or risks harm to the participants, the researcher can perform a cost-benefit analysis, assessing the potential harm to participants and compare it to the potential benefits of the research to society. The final decision must be made by an ethics committee.

  Limitations - True value of a study isn't known for until after many years, so it may be difficult to conduct a cost-benefit analysis.