ETHICAL ISSUES

Question 1

Ethics

Answer 1

• the rights and wrong about how we conduct research
• Governed by ethical guidelines
  Set by BPS (British Psychological Society)
• Consent, deception, right to withdraw, protection from harm, confidentiality, privacy

Question 2

Full informed consent + EVA

Answer 2

Pts should have knowledge of aims + procedures of research so they can decide if they want to be involved

• May create demand characteristics and change their behaviour = not valid

Question 3

How do psychologists deal with ‘full informed consent’?

Answer 3

• Debrief and retrospective consent: pts told at end of study what the aim was + asked if their data can be used.
• May be social pressure to say okay to use data = pts may not be happy being involved without consent.
• Presumptive consent: similar group to research group is asked if they would give consent in same situation. If they say yes, presumed that research group would as well
• Careful about assuming this – people say they would be happy with a theoretical situation doesn’t mean they would if the situation was reality.

Question 4

Deception + EVA

Answer 4

• Debrief and retrospective consent: pts told at end of study what the aim was + asked if their data can be used
• May be social pressure to say okay to use data = pts may not be happy being involved without consent
  + Prior general consent: pts give consent at an early stage for a series of studies which may include deception
• Pts may agree at one point = doesn’t mean they continue to give permission (right to withdraw). General consent may be conditioned (need to agree to an investigation – to access a university course)

Question 5

Right to withdraw + EVA

Answer 5

$ Pts should be aware that they can stop their involvement in research at any time – also afterwards

• If pts do withdraw = problematic in terms of recruiting new pts + calculating data

Question 6

How do psychologists deal with ‘right to withdraw’?

Answer 6

• When gaining consent at beginning of study (through consent form) + when giving standardised instructions = pts should be made aware of right to withdraw at any time
• May feel like they do not have the right (even when told they do) e.g. Milgram: pts told they could leave and still be paid but researcher criticised for suggesting that pts couldn’t stop – ‘you have no choice but to continue’.

Question 7

Protection from harm + EVA

Answer 7

+ Research should not cause psychological/physical harm to pts

• Research may require distress e.g. stress research.
• E.g. Ainsworth’s Strange Situation: the child is exposed to increasing anxiety.
• But was justified because it was a normal childhood experience + there was a cut off point for the child’s distress.

Question 8

How do psychologists deal with ‘protection from harm’?

Answer 8

• Debrief: idea is that the pts should leave the study in as god state as they entered it
• Post research follow up – e.g. Milgram followed up pts for 2 years to make sure there was no long-term harm. Most pts were glad to have taken part + thought more similar research should be done

Question 9

Confidentiality + EVA

Answer 9

+ Pts should not be individually identifiable from their data in a piece of research

• Pts need to trust that potentially private info is not going to be shared beyond this. It is difficult in specialist case studies to protect confidentiality as it can be easy to work out who a pts is.

Question 10

How to deal with psychologists deal with ‘confidentiality’?

Answer 10

• Remove all personally identifiable info from data e.g. names/addresses.

-Replace with numbers or in case studies initials/codes