Ethical considerations

• Ethical concepts 


  The broad, moral guiding principles that people should consider when conducting research, practicing psychology or when analysing a psychological issue or debate
• What are the ethical concepts?

  -Beneficence

  -Integrity

  -Justice

  -Non-maleficence

  -Respect
• Beneficence 


  The commitment to maximising benefits and minimising the risks and harms involved in taking a particular position or course of action
• Integrity 


  The commitment to searching for knowledge and understanding, and the honest reporting of all sources of information and results, whether favourable or unfavourable, in ways that permit scrutiny and contribute to public knowledge and understanding
• Justice 


  The moral obligation to ensure that there is fair consideration of competing claims; that there is no unfair burden on a particular group from an action; and that there is fair distribution and access to the benefits of an action
• Non-maleficence 


  The principle of avoiding causing harm
• Respect 


  The consideration of the extent to which living things have an intrinsic value and/or instrumental value
• Ethical guidelines 


  The procedures and principles used to ensure that participants are safe and respected
• What are the ethical guidelines?

  -Confidentiality

  -Informed consent procedures

  -Use of deception

  -Debriefing

  -Voluntary participation

  -Withdrawal rights
• Confidentiality

  The privacy, protection and security of a participant's personal information in terms of personal details and the anonymity of individual results, including the removal of identifying elements.
• Informed consent procedures 


  Processes that ensure participants understand the nature and purpose of the experiment, including potential risks (both physical and psychological) before agreeing to participate in the study
• Use of deception 


  The act of intentionally misleading participants about the true nature of a study or procedure
• Debriefing 


  A procedure that ensures that, at the end of the experiment, the participant leaves understanding the experimental aim, results and conclusions
• Voluntary participation 


  A principle that ensures there is no coercion of pressure put on the participant to partake in an experiment, and they freely choose to be involved
• Withdrawal rights


  The rights of participants to be able to discontinue their involvement in an experiment at any time during or after the conclusion of an experiment without penalty
• Other factors that are relevant to evaluating psychological issues, research and practice

  -Sociocultural factors

  -Economic factors

  -Political factors

  -Legal factors
• Sociocultural factors

  The environmental conditions that impact the practices, beliefs, social norms and expectations of individuals or groups
• Economic factors 


  Financial factors
• Legal factors 


  relate to how the law and legal systems influence individuals, group and organisations
• Political factors 


  The environmental conditions that impact the beliefs and actions of the groups and individuals