Dealing with ethical issues

• Who lays out ethical guidelines for researchers?

  British Psychological Society
• Who are ethical guidelines implemented by?

  Ethics committees
• What do ethics committees often use to determine whether research proposals are ethically acceptable?

  Cost-benefit approach
• How do we deal with informed consent traditionally?

  Issue a consent letter (detailing all information)
• How do we deal with informed consent in children under 16?

  Gain parental consent
• What are the alternative ways of getting consent?

  Presumptive consent, prior general consent, retrospective consent
• What is presumptive consent?

  Asking a similar group of people if the study is acceptable, if yes, the consent is 'presumed'
• What is prior general consent?

  Giving consent to take part in a number of different studies, including one that will involve deception. Essentially consenting to deception
• What is retrospective consent?

  Asking for consent during debriefing - may not have been aware of their participation or deception
• How do we deal with deception?

  Give a full debrief at the end
• How do we deal with protection from harm?

  1 . Give participants right to withdraw/right to withhold data

  2 . Counselling

  3 . Reassurance behaviour was normal
• How do we deal with confidentiality?

  Personal details protected/anonymity
• How do we deal with confidentiality in a case study?

  Use initials
• What is cost-benefit analysis?

  Weighing up costs and benefits of research proposals to decide if it should go ahead