Ethical Issues in Psychology

Question 1

Informed Consent

Answer 1

Advise participants what is involved. Reveals the research aims

Question 2

Deception

Answer 2

Misleading Participants / withholding information. OK if not distressing.

Question 3

Protection from harm

Answer 3

Participants should be ar no more risk than they would be everyday life

Question 4

Privacy and confidentiality

Answer 4

We have the right to control information about ourselves. If this is invaded, confidentiality should be respected.

Question 5

How to deal with : Informed Consent

Answer 5

• sign consent form
• where appropriate seek parental consent
• presumptive - ask a similar group
• prior general - agree to be deceived
• retrospective - get consent after the study

Question 6

How to deal with : Deception

Answer 6

• Participants should be debriefed at the end of the study
• they should be informed the :
  The true aims of the investigation
• details that were not given during the study
• what their data will be used for
• their right to withhold data

Question 7

How to deal with : protection from harm

Answer 7

• should be given the right to withdraw at each stage of the research process
• should be reassured that their behaviour was normal during the debriefing
• researcher should provide counselling if participants have been e.g. distressed

Question 8

How to deal with : privacy and confidentiality

Answer 8

• If personal details are held these must be protected. Usually no personal details are recorded.
• researchers refer to participants using numbers, initial or false names
• participants personal data cannot be shared with other researchers.