ethical considerations Flashcards
what does the BPS do?
monitor the practice of psychologists to ensure the research being conducted is ethical
What is an ethical issue?
A problem in research when the rights of the participant and the aims of the psychologist are conflicting
What are ethical guidelines?
A set of rules designed by professionals on how research should be carried out
What is the mnemonic to remember ethical issues?
PCDRIP
What does the first P stand for in PCDRIP
Privacy
What is privacy?
A persons right to control the flow of information about themselves
What are the guidelines on privacy?
Observations should be in public
Interviews/Questionnaires shouldnt ask for sensitive information
What are difficulties involving the privacy guidelines?
Is a public toilet a public place?
Is observing someone in the workplace ok?
What does the C stand for in PCDRIP?
Confidentiality
What is confidentiality?
The trust that personal information being communicated is protected
What are the guidelines on confidentiality?
Participants should be anonymous
Participants should not be identifiable from the research
What are difficulties involving the confidentiality guidelines?
Sometimes the identity of the participants can be found by using the information in the report
What does the D stand for in PCDRIP?
Deception
What is deception?
When the participants are unaware of the intentions of the study
What are the guidelines on deception?
It should be decided by an ethics committee whether or not to use deception
Participants need to be fully debriefed after the study
Participants must be allowed to withdraw their data
What does the R stand for in PCDRIP?
Right to withdraw
What does the right to withdraw mean?
Participants should understand that they can leave the study at any time and have their data removed
What are the guidelines on the right to withdraw?
Participants need to be aware before the study that they can leave at any time
Any incentive must remain if the participant leaves
Participants must be reminded that they can have their data removed after the study has been completed
What are difficulties with the guidelines on the right to withdraw?
Participants may feel like they cant withdraw as it will ruin the study
The use of an incentive may make the participant feel like they cannot leave
What does the I in PCDRIP stand for?
Informed consent
What does informed consent mean?
Participants are given information regarding the the experiment so they can make a decision whether or not to participate
What are the guidelines on informed consent?
Participant must be asked to indicate their agreement to take part
If deception is involved, retrospective consent must be gained
If the participant is less than 16 years old or not sound of mind, external consent must be given
What are difficulties with the guidelines on informed consent?
To give fully informed consent at the start of the study, the participant will know the aim and therefore demand characteristics may occur
The participant may still not understand what the study is
What is the last P in PCDRIP?
Protection from harm
What is protection from harm?
The participant should not experience any more physical or psychological stress than normal everyday life
What are the guidelines on protection from harm?
Participants should come to no more harm than what is normal in everyday life
The study should be stopped if harm is suspected
What are difficulties with the guidelines on protection from harm?
Its difficult to predict whether the participant will be harmed during the study
Researchers may only realise that the participant was harmed in retrospect
What are other ethical considerations that researchers need to be mindful of?
The participants values, beliefs, relationships, etc. being upheld
Use of vulnerable individuals in research
Working with animals
How should the participants values, beliefs, relationships, etc. be upheld?
The participant’s attitudes and opinions must not be demeaned, and the participant’s position in an organisation or society should not be jeopardised
How should the use of vulnerable individuals in research be carried out ethically?
People with learning or communication difficulties, patients in care or people in custody or on probation all need the person who is legally responsible for them to give consent
How should research on animals be carried out ethically?
From the Animals (scientific procedures) Act 1986, there is a general obligation to avoid or at least minimise discomfort to living animals. Researchers are asked to consider alternatives to using animals, like using a computer simulation
