Ethical Guidlines (RM P2)

Question 1

What are the 4 ethical guidelines?

Answer 1

• Informed consent
• Deception
• Protection from harm (physical and psychological)
• Privacy/confidentiality

Question 2

Informed consent

Answer 2

• Permission from pps to use them and their data
• Should be informed of anything that may affect their willingness to participate (so they can make an informed decision)
• Should be given to all pps before the study
• Parental consent should be obtained in the case of children

Question 3

Dealing with informed consent when the guideline has been broken

Answer 3

• Retrospective: right of pps to withdraw their data after the true nature of the study has been revealed (any payment offered must still be paid)
• Presumptive: researchers ask a similar group if they would take part, if so it is assumed the pps would also
• Prior general: asked to agree to take part in a study where they may be deceived about the study’s true purpose

Question 4

Deception

Answer 4

• No lies
• Some deception is unavoidable, a cost-benefit analysis by the ethics committee must take place to decide if the deception is acceptable

Question 5

Dealing with deception when the guideline has been broken

Answer 5

• Debrief: pps should be told immediately afterwards when and why deception occurred
• Given the chance to withdraw their data from the study

Question 6

Protection from harm (physical and psychological)

Answer 6

• Pps should be protected from extreme damaging/lasting psychological or physical harm
• Cost-benefit analysis used

Question 7

Dealing with protection from harm when the guideline has been broken

Answer 7

• Debrief: pps told immediately afterwards when and why deception occurred
• Can withdraw data from the study
• Counselling: offered counselling to receive talking therapy/CBT (which is expensive). They ideally don’t want to offer it

Question 8

Privacy/confidentiality

Answer 8

Observations, field/natural experiment should be carried out only in public places where people might expect to be seen by strangers

Question 9

Dealing with privacy/confidentiality when the guideline has been broken

Answer 9

• Anonymity: keep all information confidential. Guarantee of anonymity for the pps in the study
• Use numbers instead of names
• Never broadcast footage and no photos in published work (unless there’s consent)

Question 10

What is the BPS code of conduct?

Answer 10

Quasi-legal document to protect pps based on 4 principles:
respect, competence, responsibility and integrity