Ethical Issues

Question 1

What are the five ethical issues?

Answer 1

• Deception
• Lack of informed consent
• Lack of protection from harm
• Lack of right to withdraw

Question 2

How many ethical issues are there that we can consider?

Answer 2

Five.

Question 3

What is deception?

Answer 3

This is where participants are deliberately misled about the true nature of the study.

Question 4

Why is deception an issue?

Answer 4

• Informed consent cannot be gained.

- Psychological harm may be caused

Question 5

How could we deal with deception?

Answer 5

Debriefing the participants after the study is over so participants do not leave in confusion.

Question 6

What is ‘debriefing’?

Answer 6

When participants are explained the true nature of the study after the study is over and

Question 7

What is informed consent?

Answer 7

This is where the true aims and purpose of the research is revealed to the participants before they are given a choice of agreeing or refusing to participate.

Question 8

Why is a lack of informed consent an issue?

Answer 8

• Deception could be used
• Participants may distrust future studies
• Participants may be unable to fully understand the nature of the study and not be able to make a balanced decision.

Question 9

How could we deal with a lack of informed consent?

Answer 9

Take presumptive consent.

Question 10

What is presumptive consent?

Answer 10

This is where the researcher asks people from the same target population if they would consent to the study and it is assumed that the sample would also consent.

Question 11

What is ‘protection from harm’?

Answer 11

This is where it is the researcher’s responsibility to protect the participants from harm

Question 12

Why is a lack of protection from harm an issue?

Answer 12

• The harm can be both physical and psychological

- The harm may not be noticed until after the study

Question 13

How could you deal with a lack of protection from harm?

Answer 13

• Ask an ethical committee to judge the study

- Give the participants a right to withdraw

Question 14

What is the role of an ethical committee?

Answer 14

An ethical committee is a group of experts in the area of the study who can decide whether the harm is too great.

Question 15

What is confidentiality?

Answer 15

This is where participants and their data have the right to stay anonymous.

Question 16

Why is a lack of confidentiality an issue?

Answer 16

• Sometimes the participants results or information can easily be guessed or figured out.
• It is unethical to use someone’s information without their permission.

Question 17

How could you deal with a lack of confidentiality?

Answer 17

• Using fake names

- Pseudonyms

Question 18

How do you structure a consent form?

Answer 18

• Thanking participant for involvement
• Inform them on true aims of the study (link to scenario)
• Explain what the participant will be doing (scenario)
• Explain how long the study may take
• Outline any ethical considerations
• Ask them to sign and date the form

Question 19

How do you structure a debrief?

Answer 19

• Thanking participant for involvement
• Explain that their contribution is valuable
• Explain true aims of study (explain if deception was necessary)
• Give details on what the other condition did if there is one
• Outline ethical considerations
• Ask them if they have any further questions

Question 20

How do you structure standardised instructions?

Answer 20

• Instructions should be clear and fully detailed
• Explain how long it may take
• Outline ethical considerations
• Ask if participants have any questions

Question 21

How should any instructions to participants be written?

Answer 21

In a way that they can be read out loud as if to a participant.