Ethics

Question 1

Who publishes the ethical guidelines for psychologists?

Answer 1

the BPS, British Psychologists Society

Question 2

When do ethical issues arise?

Answer 2

When there is a discrepancy/dilemma between what the researcher wants to do to conduct their research and the rights of the participants

Question 3

What do you have to obtain from the BPS before conducting an experiment?

Answer 3

Ethical Approval

Question 4

Name the two ethical issues involving consent

Answer 4

Prior general consent

Presumptive consent

Question 5

What is Prior general consent?

Answer 5

Getting consent from a fully informed participant

Question 6

What is a weakness of obtaining prior general consent?

Answer 6

Encourages potential demand characteristics

Question 7

What is a strength of obtaining prior general consent?

Answer 7

You are not breaching any rights of your participants

Question 8

What is presumptive consent?

Answer 8

Taking a sample to represent the desired participants and assuming from their response

Question 9

What is a strength of presumptive consent?

Answer 9

Eliminates demand characteristics and social desirability

Question 10

What is a weakness of presumptive consent?

Answer 10

Pps could use their right to withdraw if they end up in a situation they do not feel comfortable or they feel is against their rights - therefore voiding all research

Question 11

What are the 3 methods psychologists can use to deal with the deception dilemma of getting consent? (DRP)

Answer 11

Debriefing
Retrospective informed consent
Protecting Pps from Harm

Question 12

What is debriefing?

Answer 12

 Occurs after the research is completed

 True aim of the research is revealed to the participant in order to restore the prior state of the participant

Question 13

What are the advantages of debriefing?

Answer 13

Eliminates demand characteristics because they don’t have to be fully informed from the start

This can be used to inform participants of deception, gain consent, and ensure participants leave in the same state

Question 14

What is retrospective informed consent?

Answer 14

Allows participants to make an informed decision as to whether they want to withdraw or whether they want their results to be taken any further

Question 15

What are the advantages of retrospective informed consent?

Answer 15

• Overcomes demand characteristics because they don’t have to be fully informed from the start – reminded of right to withdraw

Question 16

What is ‘Protecting pps from harm’

Answer 16

 Participants should be reminded of their right to withdraw
 Psychologists have a duty to stop any research that they believe is causing psychological or physical harm, even if the participant is willing to continue
 It is important that participants in psychological research are debriefed following an experiment
 This can be used to inform participants of deception, gain consent, and ensure participants leave in the same state

Question 17

What 4 categories do the BPS divide ethical considerations into?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

4 categories that the BPS divide ethical considerations into - 1. Respect

Answer 18

• Informed consent
• Confidentiality and anonymity
• Right to withdraw
• Deception
• Observation research - don’t observe unless informed consent is given or at least you are in a place where people would expect to be observed, e.g. shopping centre not church

Question 19

4 categories that the BPS divide ethical considerations into - 2. Competence

Answer 19

• should be committed to the code of ethics and to maintaining competence
• They should recognise and resolve ethical dilemmas

Question 20

4 categories that the BPS divide ethical considerations into - 3. Responsibility

Answer 20

• Protection of participants from harm

- Debriefing

Question 21

4 categories that the BPS divide ethical considerations into - 4. Integrity

Answer 21

• Should be honest, accurate, clear and fair when dealing with people - including their participants
• Includes being honest when recording and analysing data

Question 22

Evaluation of ethics

Answer 22

+ It is good that ethics are regularly revised as expectations change. E.g. would women/other aces received the same respect many years ago?

• The BPS is guidance, not rules
• Too vague and can be difficult to apply
• The guidelines are difference across countries
• Ethics committees make decisions about whether research projects can be conducted. Some are more rigorous than others. The committees should include non-psychologists also.
• People need repercussions of breaking the code of ethics, but expulsion from the BPS is not much of a threat.