Dealing with ethical issues

Question 1

strategies to deal with ethical issues; ethical guidelines (code of conduct)

Answer 1

• the BPS regularly updates its ethical guidelines ( code of conduct)
• the current version is the ‘code of ethics and conduct (BPS 2009)
• the intention of such guidelines is to tell psychologists which behaviours are not acceptable and give guidance on how to deal with ethical dilemmas.

Question 2

strategies to deal with ethical issues: rights to withdraw

Answer 2

• if a participant begins to feel uncomfortable or distressed they should be given the right to withdraw.
• this is especially important if a participant if a participant has been deceived about the aims and/or procedures. however, even if a participant has been fully informed, the actual experience of taking part may turn out to be rather different, so they should be able to withdraw

Question 3

strategies to deal with ethical issues; debriefing

Answer 3

• at the end of a study, participants are given information about the study they took part in.
• the aim of such debriefing is to inform the participants of the true nature of the study and to restore them to the same state before the study.
• debriefing is not an ethical issue, it is a means of dealing with the ethical issues of deception and psychological harm.

Question 4

strategies to deal with ethical issues; ethics committees.

Answer 4

• most institutions where research takes place have an ethics committee which must approve any 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.

Question 5

strategies to deal with ethical issues; punishment

Answer 5

• if a psychologist behaves in an unethical manner, such as conducting unacceptable research, then the BPS reviews the research and may decide to ban the person from practising as a psychologist.
• it is not a legal matter (the psychologist wont be sent to prison)

Question 6

Evaluation;; ethical guidelines

Answer 6

• This ‘rules and sanctions’ approach is inevitably rather general because of the virtual impossibility of covering every conceivable situation that a researcher may encounter.
• The Canadians take slightly different approach - they present a series of hypothetical dilemmas and invite psychologists to discus these. This advantage of this approach is that it encourages debate, whereas the BPS approach closes off discussions about what is right and wrong because the answers are provided.
• Guidelines also absolve the individual researcher of any responsibility because the researcher can simply say ‘i followed the guidelines so my research is acceptable.

Question 7

EVALUATION; right to withdraw.

Answer 7

• participants may feel they shouldn’t withdraw because it will spoil the study.
• in many studies participants are paid or rewarded in some way, and may not feel able to withdraw.

Question 8

EVALUATION; debriefing

Answer 8

• debriefing tries to redress the balance where harm may have been caused through deception of distress. However, it can’t turn the clock back. Participants might still feel cheated if they were deceived, or still feel embarrassed by their behaviour reassurances. Therefore debriefing is, at best, a partial solution.
• Stanley Milgram conducted arguably some of the most ethically contentious psychological research ever done.
• However, what tends to get overlooked is that he was a pioneer in the use of techniques such as debriefing in a procedure he called ‘dehoax’
• For example he offered all his participants the opportunity to discuss their actions in the research with an independent psychiatrist.

Question 9

How can Psychologists deal with Risk of Harm?

Answer 9

• Avoid any risks greater than experienced in everyday life.
• Stop the study if harm is suspected.
  DISADV- Harm may not be apparent at the time of the study and only judged later with hindsight.

Question 10

How can psychologists deal with confidentiality?

Answer 10

• Researchers should not record the names of any participants; they should use numbers or false names
  DISADV- It is sometimes possible to work out who the participants were using information that has been provided, for example the geographical location of a school. In practice, therefore, confidentiality may not be possible.

Question 11

How can Psychologists deal with Privacy?

Answer 11

• Do not study anyone without their valid consent unless it is in a public place and public behaviour
  DISADV- there is no universal agreement about constitutes a public place.

Question 12

How can psychologists deal with Valid consent?

Answer 12

• Participants are asked to formally indicate their agreement to participate by, e.g. signing a document which contains comprehensive information concerning the nature and purpose of the research and their role in it.
  DISADV; - If a participant is given full information about a study this may invalidate the purpose of the study.
• The problem of presumptive consent is that what people expect what they will or not mind can be different than when theyre actually experiencing.

Question 13

How can Psychologists deal with Deception?

Answer 13

• The need for deception should be approved by an ethics committee, weighing up benefits (of the study) against costs (to participants).
• Participants should be fully be debriefed after the study.
  DISADV; - cost- benefits decisions are flawed because they involve subjective judgements, and the costs and/or benefits are not always apparent until after the study.
• Debriefing cant turn the clock back- a participant may still feel embarrassed or have lowered self esteem.