BPS ethical guidelines

Question 1

what is mean’t by ethical guidelines?

Answer 1

the main principles which psychologists/researchers are expected to to employ within all of their work.

Question 2

what are the 4 ethical principles?

Answer 2

• respect
• responsibility
• integrity
• competence

Question 3

what is the respect principle?

Answer 3

being willing to explain the ethics of any study and respecting the dignity of others it includes:

• privacy and confidentiality
• informed consent
• self determination (ptps have power in their own decisions).

Question 4

what is the responsibilty priciple?

Answer 4

being responsible to a client or participant and doing no harm

e. g.
- avoiding distress
- no compensation offered

Question 5

what is the competence principle?

Answer 5

all research and practice within psychology should be carried out within the researchers or psychologists ability - meaning must be aware of ethical implications for example

Question 6

what is the integrity principle?

Answer 6

a psychologist must maintain proffessional boundaries and look fro misconduct in others - deception.

Question 7

what are the guidelines that help enforce these principles?

Answer 7

• informed consent
• avoiding deception
• giving the right to withdraw
• debriefing participants
• be competent to run the study

Question 8

what is meant by risk management?

Answer 8

weighing up whether or not a study to carry up a study and how to do so in a way that doesn’t cause too much risk,.

Question 9

who can be at risk?

Answer 9

participants, researchers, animals (if involved) and people around.

Question 10

what do the BPS ethical guidelines state regarding risk?

Answer 10

The BPS code of ethics states that the risk of harm must be no greater than what they would be exposed to in their ‘normal lifestyle’.

Question 11

what can risk be identified as?

Answer 11

Risk is identified as the potential physical or psychological harm might be caused by a study being done, including discomfort and stress. Risk concerns their social status, privacy and relationships.

Question 12

what is the process of managing risk?

Answer 12

• identify the situation (what study you’re going to carry out,
• identify the possible risks involved within your study and find out everything you can about the risk
• how might the risk occur and the probability of the risk occurring?
• how would you go about managing the risk
• measures should then be put in place to manage the risk before the study can take place.

Question 13

example of where risk may occur?

Answer 13

• clinical psychology = during treatment of individuals who are at risk of self-harm; there may be a risk to patient and psychologist. Often a supervisor will oversee this treatment to reduce the risk.
• forensic psychology = need to balance the risk to the public if behaviour has been threatening and the benefit to the offender of being released into the community.
• Using children in research = children have the right to participate but must be protected too. There must be the right balance between these rights.

Question 14

how can risks be solved?

Answer 14

A risk can be avoided completely; reduced as far as possible (mitigation); transferred e.g. insurance against the risk or accepted and budgeted for. In psychology, avoidance and mitigation are the ideal solutions as transferring and budgeting do not fit within ethical guidelines e.g. doing no harm

Question 15

in what order should risks be dealt with?

Answer 15

• starting with the highest risk first and working down to the things that pose a smaller risk/threat.

Question 16

in some cases it may be difficult to establish the level of risk involved. why is this?

Answer 16

there can be risks that are classed as ‘high’ which have a low probability of occurring but if they do there are severe consequences and then there can be risks which have less severe consequences but they are more likely to occur.

Question 17

what is an example of risk being difficult to manage?

Answer 17

Milgram managed risk by asking both colleagues and students separately what they thought would happen in his study. No one thought any participant would go to the highest voltage, but 65% did.