Ethical issues

• conflict

  when a conflict exists between the rights of participants and the aims of the research.
• how to deal with conflict

  BPS code of conduct is a quasi-legal document to protect participants based on four principles: respect, competence, responsibility and integrity.

  ethics committees weigh up costs (e.g. potential harm) and benefits (e.g. value of research) before deciding whether a study should go ahead.
• what are the four principles the BPS code of conduct is based on?

  respect, competence, responsibility and integrity.
• informed consent

  get permission- participants should be able to make an informed judgement about whether to take part.
• how to deal with informed consent


  too much information may affect participants behaviour so alternative forms of consent are:

  • presumptive- ask a similar group
  • prior general- agree to be deceived
  • retrospective- get consent after the study
• what is presumptive consent?


  asking a similar group.
• what is prior general consent?

  agreeing to be deceived.
• what is retrospective consent

  getting consent after the study.
• deception

  deliberately misleading or withholding information so consent is not informed.
• how to deal with deception

  at the end of the study, participants should be given a debrief where they are advised of:

  • the true aims of the investigation
  • details that were not given during the study, e.g. existence of other groups of conditions
  • what their data will be used for
  • their right to withhold data
• protection from harm

  participants should be at no more risk than they would be in everyday life.
• how to deal with protection from harm?

  • should be given the right to withdraw at each stage of the research process
  • should be reassured that their behaviour was typical/normal during the debriefing
  • researcher should provide counselling if the participants have been, e.g. distressed.
• privacy/confidentiality

  we have the right to control information about ourselves. if this is invaded, confidentiality should be respected.
• how to deal with privacy/confidentiality

  • if personal details are held these must be protected (a legal requirement). usually though, no personal details are recorded.
  • researchers refer to participants using numbers, initials or fake names.
  • participants' personal data cannot be shared with other researchers.