5. Ethics Flashcards
What is ethics
Can be defined as ‘the consideration of what is acceptable or right behaviour in the pursuit of a personal or scientific goal’
Ethical issues
- Informed consent
- Right to withdraw
- Deception
- Confidentiality
- Protection of participants
- Debriefing
Age of consent
If under 16, person must ask parents for consent
Ethical issues: Informed consent
Knowing aims & giving your permission to take part in the study (Menges, 1973)
Ethical issues: Right to withdraw
Being able to leave when desired
Ethical issues: Deception
Deliberately misleading or withholding information
Ethical issues: Confidentiality
Details should be kept private
Ethical issues: Protection of participants
No more harm than daily life (Glass & Singer, 1972)
Ethical issues: Debriefing
Returning the participant to the state they were in before the research
What should a consent form & debrief include
- Name, signature, date
- Aim & purpose of the study
- The right to withdraw
- Names/numbers of support/therapy
What do the BPS state about deception
Only acceptable if there is a strong scientific justification for the research & there are no alternative procedures available
How to deal with consent
Informed consent - consent letter
Presumptive consent - ask similar group of ppl for consent
Prior general consent - consent for diff studies, including one that may involve deception
Retrospective consent - asked consent during debrief
What do ethics boards do
Complete a cost-benefit analysis
What do costs include in a cost-benefit analysis
Are there negative impacts on participants
What do benefits include in a cost-benefit analysis
What are positive impacts that could come of this research? To society, Science & the individual?
