8) ethics Flashcards
What are ethics?
Concerns with what is right and what is wrong
When do ethical issues arise in psychological research?
If there are conflicting values between the researcher and the participants
Who governs all psychological research?
The ethics panel at the university
What is the saying to help remember ethical guidelines?
Can do, can’t do with participant’s privacy
consent / deception / confidentiality / debrief / withdraw / protection / privacy
What is informed consent?
Participants are completely aware of what they’re about to do
(If under 16, they MUST have parental consent)
-reveal the true aims of the study when appropriate
What is the right to withdraw?
Even after giving consent, the participants are still allowed to leave the experiment at any point
-when questionnaires are anonymous, participants can only withdraw up to the point of submitting their answers
What is deception?
-means deliberately withholding information
-will only be allowed if telling the truth will have an effect on the results and therefore using mild deception will reduce the demand characteristics
-when deception has occurred, participants must be informed in the debrief at the end of the study
What is a debrief?
-involves telling the participant about the experiments and then giving them the option of withdrawing their information if they wish to during the debrief
-aims to provide the participant with all information
-participants must leave the experimental situation in the same frame of mind as when they arrived
What is the right to confidentiality?
-psychologists need to be sure the information they publish will not allow participants to be identified
-> the use of pseudonyms helps to hide information (e.g. patient HM)
-ALL DATA IS PROTECTED DATA
What is privacy?
-a person’s right to control the flow of information about themselves
What is the difference between privacy and confidentiality?
We have a right to privacy, if it’s broken then confidentiality must be maintained
What is protection from harm?
-participants should be no worse off when they leave an experiment as when they arrived
-risk is considered acceptable if it is no greater than any risk posed in everyday life
-if harm is caused the researcher should check the participants are in a positive state of health and should be sent to the nearest health centre
What are examples of unethical studies in psychology?
-Milgram’s study = shock experiment / deception and psychological harm
-Zimbardo’s study = prison experiment / psychological harm
-Skinner and Watson’s study = little Albert / participant harm
