Ethical issues

• Name the 4 ethical issues

  1. informed consent
  2. privacy and confidentiality
  3. deception
  4. protection from harm
• How to deal with informed consent 


  alternative forms of consent:

  • presumptive- ask a similar group of people
  • prior general-agree to be deceived
  • retrospective- get consent after study
• How to deal with deception


  Participants should be given a debrief including:

  1. True aims of investigation
  2. Details not given in study
  3. What data will be used for
  4. Right to withhold data
• How to deal with Protection from harm

  • should be given the right to withdraw at each stage of the process
  • should be reassured their behaviour was normal during debriefing
  • researcher should provide counselling if needed
• How to deal with privacy and confidentiality

  • ppts personal data cannot be shared w/ other researchers
  • refer to ppts as initials or names in public reports
  • personal details must be protected