Ethical Issues BPS (british psychological society)

Question 1

What are the 5 ethical issues

Answer 1

1. Deception
2. Informed consent
3. Protection from psychological and physical harm
4. Confidentiality
5. Privacy

Question 2

What is active vs passive deception

Answer 2

Active = deliberate lies to the participant
Passive = withholding important info
-> both should be avoided unless scientifically justified

Question 3

What are the 4 principles all researchers must adhere to

Answer 3

1. Respect
2. Competence
3. Responsiblity
4. Integrity

Question 4

What are some ways to deal with ethical issues

Answer 4

• debriefing
• offering the right to withdraw
• offering counselling
• letting participants remain anonymous / diff names

Question 5

Solution to a consent issue

Answer 5

• give a full brief so they can give informed consent
  1) retrospective: asking for consent during the debrief after
  2) general consent: where people have already agreed to take part in studies
  3) presumptive consent: asking a similar group if they would object to the procedure

Question 6

Solution to deception

Answer 6

• participants should be fully debriefed after and allowed to withdraw their results
  -> ethical committee would weigh up the costs to participants compared to findings of experiments

Question 7

What is withdrawal

Answer 7

Telling participants they have the right to leave and that this isn’t dependent on payment

Question 8

How to stay confidential

Answer 8

• don’t record patients names: use pseudonyms or numbers
  -> store contact info separate to their data

Question 9

How to adhere by protection rules

Answer 9

• stop the study if unexpected risks arise
• procedure needs to be safe: if physical dangers possible, skilled participants should be recruited to minimise risk

Question 10

How to keep privacy in a study

Answer 10

• observations only in public places
• people can be asked for consent after again

Question 11

What do you write about in a consent form

Answer 11

• aim of the study
• its nature
• what would be expected of you
• whether you will be debriefed etc

Question 12

What is a debriefing meant to include

Answer 12

• the full aims of the study
• what condition the participants were in
• any ethical issues & dealing w them (counselling etc)
• asking if they have any questions