Dealing with ethical issues

Question 1

Ethical guidelines

Answer 1

The BPS updates its ethical guidelines
- the intention of these guidelines is to tell psychologists which behaviours are not acceptable and give guidance on how to deal with ethical dilmmas

Question 2

Right to withdraw

Answer 2

If a participant begins to feel uncomfortable or distressed they should be given the right to withdraw
- very important if a participant has been deceived about the aims and procedures
- however if a participant has been fully informed then the actual experience of taking part may turn out different

Question 3

Debriefing

Answer 3

A post research interview designed to inform participants of the true nature of the study and to restore them to the state they were in at the start of the study - can also be used to gain feedback

• at the end of a study participants are given various kinds of information about the study they took part in
• debriefing is a way to deal with ethical issues such as deception and psychological harm
• if participants were deceived at the start of the study then they are told the true aims during the debriefing
• if participants was harmed in any way e.g stressed, awkward or embarrassed then it should be reassured that this is normal

Question 4

Ethics committee

Answer 4

A group of people within a research institution that must approve a study before it begins

• the committee looks at all possible ethical issues raised in any research proposal and at how the researcher suggests that the issues will be dealt with, weighing up the benefits of the research against possible coats to the participants

Question 5

Punishment

Answer 5

• if a psychologist does behave in an unethical manner then the BPS reviews the research and may decide to ban the person from practicing as a psychologist

Question 6

Evaluation

Answer 6

Ethical guidelines
- the rules and sanctions approach is rather general because of the impossibility of covering every conceivable situation that a researcher may encounter
- can absolve the individual researcher any responsibility because the researcher can just claim they followed the guidelines so their researcher is acceptable

Right to withdraw
- participants may feel as if they should not withdraw because it will spoil the study - in some cases they are paid or rewarded so may not feel able to withdraw

Debriefing
- tries to redress the balance where harm may have been caused through deception of distress but it cannot turn the clock back and participants still may feel cheated if they were deceived or still feel embarrassed despite reassurances
- can be seen as a partial solution