Ethical Issues & Dealing with Them Flashcards
Ethical Issues:
These arise when a conflict exists between the rights of participants in research studies and the goals of research to produce authentic, valid and worthwhile data.
British Psychological Society (BPS) code of ethics:
Quasi legal document produced by the BPS that instructs psychologists in the UK about what behaviour is and is not acceptable when dealing with participants. Built around the principles of respect, competence, responsibility and integrity.
What is informed consent and how can it cause conflict to arise?
- Making participants aware of the aims of the research, their procedures, their rights, including the right to withdraw and what their data will be used for.
- Should make an informed judgement without being concerned.
- From the researchers POV, may make the study meaningless because participants’ behaviour will not be ‘natural’
What is deception and can it ever be justified?
- Deliberately misleading or withholding information from participants at any stage of the investigation.
- Participants who have not received adequate information when they agreed to take place, they cannot be said to have given informed consent.
- Can be justified if it does not cause the participant undue stress.
Protection from harm:
- Participants should not be placed at any more risk than they would be in their daily lives.
- Be protected from physical and psychological harm.
- Must be reminded that they have the right to withdraw from the investigation at any point.
Privacy and Confidentiality:
- Have the right to control information about themselves.
- Right of privacy.
- Confidentiality refers to our right, enshrined in law under the Data Protection Act, to have any personal data protected.
- This right extends to the area where the study took place such that institutions or geographical locations are not named.
What is the role of the BPS?
- Has a code of ethics and this includes a set of ethical guidelines.
- Researchers have a professional duty to adhere to these guidelines, may lose their job is they don’t.
- Guidelines are closely matched to the ethical issues and attempt to make sure that all participants are treated with respect.
- Guidelines are implemented by ethics committees in research institutions who use a cost-benefit approach to determine whether or not research proposals are ethically acceptable.
Cost-benefit analysis:
- Value or ground-breaking nature of research.
- Damaging effect on individuals or to the reputation of psychology as a whole/
Dealing with informed consent:
- Issued a consent letter or form detailing all relevant information that might affect their decision to participate.
- For investigations involving children under 16, a signature of parental consent is needed.
Presumptive consent:
Rather than getting consent from the participants themselves, a similar group of people are asked if the study is acceptable. If this group agree, then the consent of the original participants is assumed.
Prior general consent:
Participants give their permission to take part in a number of different studies- including one that will involve deception. They are consenting to be deceived.
Retrospective consent:
Participants are asked for their consent (during debriefing) having already taken part in the study. They may not have been aware of their participation or they may have been subject to deception.
Debriefing: dealing with deception and protecting from harm
- At the end, there should be a full debrief.
- Made aware of the true aims and any details they did not have during the experiment.
- Told what their data will be used for and must be given the right to withhold data if they wish.
Dealing with confidentiality:
- If personal details are held these must be protected.
- More usual to simply record no personal details.
- May use numbers or initials.
