Ethical issues

Question 1

Ethical issues (conflict)

Answer 1

Conflict between rights of participants and aims of research. BPS code of conduct is quasi-legal document to protect participants based on 4 principles: respect, competence, responsibility and integrity. Ethics committees weigh up costs eg potential harm, benefits eg value of research, before deciding whether study should go ahead

Question 2

Informed consent (permission)

Answer 2

informed judgement about whether to take part but may reveal aims. Sign consent form, where appropriate, seek parental consent. Alternative forms of consent:
-Presumptive - ask similar group
-Prior general - agree to be deceived
-Retrospective - consent after study

Question 3

Deception (misleading)

Answer 3

Deliberately misleading/withholding info so consent is not informed but mild deception ok. At end of study, participants should be given debrief where they’re advised of:
-True aims of investigation
-Details not given during study eg existence of other groups/conditions
-What their data will be used for
-Right to withhold data

Question 4

Protection from harm (risk)

Answer 4

Participants should be at no more risk than in everyday life.
-Given right to withdraw at each stage of research process
-Reassured behaviour was typical/normal during debriefing
-Researcher should provide counselling if participants have been distressed

Question 5

Privacy and confidentiality (right to control)

Answer 5

-Right to control info about ourselves. If invaded, confidentiality should be respected.
-If personal details are held they must be protected (legal requirement). Usually no personal details are recorded
-Researchers refer to participants with numbers, initials or false names
-Participants’ personal data cannot be shared with other researchers

Question 6

correlation

Answer 6

Illustrates strength and direction of association between 2 co-variables

Question 7

Scattergram

Answer 7

1 co-variable on x axis and other on y

Question 8

Positive correlation

Answer 8

Co variables increase together

Question 9

Negative correlation

Answer 9

1 co variable increases, other decreases

Question 10

Zero correlation

Answer 10

No relationship between variables

Question 11

Difference between correlations and experiments

Answer 11

Researcher manipulates IV & records effect on DV. In correlation, no manipulation of variables so cause & effect can’t be demonstrated
+ Useful starting point for research -> By assessing strength & direction of relationship, correlations provide measure of how 2 variables relate -> If variables are strongly related may suggest hypotheses for future research
+ Relatively economical -> Unlike lab study, no need for controlled environment and can use 2ndary data -> correlations are less time consuming than experiments
- No cause and effect -> Correlations are often presented as casual, only show how 2 variables are related -> leads to false conclusions about causes of behaviour
- Intervening variables -> Another untested variable may explain relationship between co variables -> lead to false conclusions