ethics

• ethical issues 


  • There are 3 main ethical issues that occur in psychological research – deception, lack of informed consent and lack of protection of participants.
• privacy 


  • Ensuring that participants are aware that they do not have to answer anything that may make them feel uncomfortable, thus protecting their privacy. In addition, you cannot observe people in private environments i.e. peeping through someone's window, without their knowledge!
• deception


  • Participants should not be deliberately lied to about the aim of the study and procedure. If participants are not told the true aim of the study, every step should be taken to ensure that there are no harmful effects to the participant. For example, a thorough debrief, counselling sessions, ethics committee there at all times to stop experiment if they feel that it is harming participants etc.
• debrief 


  • After completing the research, the true aim is revealed to the participant.
  • Aim of debriefing = to return the person to the state s/he was in before they took part. We do this as briefing the participant (telling them what will happen in the study before they agree to take part) may lead to demand characteristics
• informed consent 


  • Psychologists should ensure that all participants are helped to understand fully all aspects of the research before they agree (give consent) to take part
• right to withdraw 


  • Participants should be aware that they can leave the study (or remove their data from the study) at any time, even if they have been paid to take part.
• protection from harm


  •  Participants should be protected from physical or mental harm, including stress - risk of harm must be no greater than that to which they are exposed in everyday life, and must leave in the same emotional state that they were in when they entered
• confidentiality


  •  Participants results and personal information should be kept safely and not released to anyone outside of the study.
• prior general consent 


  • Before participants are recruited they are asked whether they are prepared to take part in research where they might be deceived about the true purpose
• presumtive consent


  Asking a group of people from the same target population as the sample whether they would agree to take part in such a study, if yes then presume the sample would
• retrospective consent 


  • Once the true nature of the research has been revealed, participants should be given the right to withdraw their data if they are not happy.
• cost-benefit analysis 


  • benefits to society are compared to potential costs to participants (adding to human knowledge vs. harm). If the benefits outweigh the risks then the study goes ahead
• ethics committee 


  A group decide whether your research should go ahead using cost-benefit analysis
• ethical guidelines 


  These are provided by the BPS - they are the ‘rules’ by which all psychologists should operate, including those carrying out research.
• responsibility 


  • Valuing the dignity and worth of all individuals. This links to informed consent, right to withdraw and confidentiality.
• respect 


  • Valuing the responsibilities of being a psychologist. This links to protection of participants and the role of a debrief
• integrity 


  • Valuing honesty, accuracy, clarity and fairness. This links to the particular importance of maintaining high standards when deceiving participants
• competence 


  • Valuing the continued development as a psychologist and the maintenance of high standards of work.