ethical issues and ways of dealing with it

Question 1

name some ethical issues

Answer 1

1. informed consent
2. deception
3. protection from harm
4. privacy & confidentiality

Question 2

describe informed consent

Answer 2

• make participants aware of aims of research, procedures, their rights (eg. right to withdraw) & what their data will be used for
• participants then make informed judgement whether or not to take part
• researchers may think this renders study ‘meaningless’ as participants know aims of study = demand characteristics

Question 3

describe deception

Answer 3

• deliberately misleading or withholding information from participants
• cannot be said to have given informed consent
• can be justified eg. doesn’t cause participant undue stress

Question 4

describe protection from harm

Answer 4

• not be placed at any more risk than normal lives
• protected from physical and psychological harm
• participants reminded they have right to withdraw at any point

Question 5

describe privacy & confidentiality

Answer 5

• right to control information about themselves = right of privacy
• confidentiality = right to have any personal data protected

Question 6

describe BPS (british psychological study)

Answer 6

• own BPS code of ethics
• set of ethical guidelines
• guidelines implemented by ethics committee
• use cost-benefit approach to determine if particular research proposals are ethically acceptable

Question 7

dealing with informed consent

Answer 7

• issued with consent letter/form detailing relevant info which may affect decision to participate
• signed if they agree
• under 16 = signature of parental consent

Question 8

dealing with deception & protection from harm

Answer 8

• end = participants given full debrief, where they are made aware of true aims & any details not supplied during study
• also be told what data will be used for & given right to withdraw during study/right to withhold data (important if retrospective consent included)
• reassured behaviour was typical/normal
• if subject to stress/embarrassment, may require counselling which researcher should provide

Question 9

describe dealing with confidentiality

Answer 9

• personal details must be protected
• may record no personal details & maintain anonymity eg. numbers, initials
• in case study, researchers often use initials
• during briefing & debriefing, participants reminded data will be protected & not shared with any other researchers