Ethics Flashcards

1
Q

What does ethics involve?

A

systematising, defending and providing standards by which behaviour can be judged to be right or wrong

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2
Q

What is normative ethics?

A

the practical task of arriving at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct

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3
Q

What are the distinct approaches to ethics?

A
  • Consequentialism – the rightness or wrongness of an act depends upon its consequences
     Utilitarianism – emphasises the role of pleasure of happiness as a consequence of our actions
  • Deontology (duty) – certain acts are right or wrong in themselves, not necessarily in terms of their consequences (Immanuel Kant)
     Categorical imperative: ‘act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or that of another, always as an end and never as a means only’
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4
Q

What approach to ethics does the BPS take?

A

a deontological approach

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5
Q

What is psychological egoism (Hobbes)?

A

self-oriented interests ultimately motivate all human actions

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6
Q

What are the three different ethics coes?

A
  1. World health organisation (declaration of Helsinki)
    - Guide for conducting medical research with human subjects
  2. BPS: code of ethics and conduct and code of human research ethics
    - Guidelines for carrying out psychological research
  3. Institutional ethic codes
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7
Q

What does the code of ethics and conduct provide?

A

Provides framework for guiding all decision making for psychologists (in practice and research)

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8
Q

What are the four ethical principles of the BPS code of ethics and conduct?

A
  • respect
  • competence
  • Responsibility
  • Integrity
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9
Q

What are the points of consideration to do with respect in the code of ethics and conduct?

A
  • Privacy and confidentiality
  • Respect
  • Communities and shared values within them
  • Impacts on the broader environment – living or otherwise
  • Issues of power
  • Consent
  • Self determination
  • The importance of compassionate care
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10
Q

What are the points of consideration to do with competence in the code of ethics and conduct?

A
  • Possession or otherwise of appropriate skills and care needed to serve persons and peoples
  • The limits of their competence and the potential need to refer on to another professional
  • Advances in the evidence base
  • The need to maintain technical and practical skills
  • Matters of professional ethics and decision making
  • Any limitations to their competence to practice taking mitigating actions if necessary
  • Caution in making knowledge claims
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11
Q

What are the points of consideration to do with responsibility in the code of ethics and conduct?

A
  • Professional accountability
  • Responsible use of their knowledge and skills
  • Respect for the welfare of human, non-humans and the living world
  • Potentially competing duties
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12
Q

What are the points of consideration to do with integrity in the code of ethics and conduct?

A
  • Honesty, openness and candour
  • Accurate unbiased representation
  • Fairness
  • Avoidance of exploitation and conflicts of interest (including self interest)
  • Maintaining personal and professional boundaries
  • Addressing misconduct
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13
Q

What are the principles in the BPS code of human research ethics?

A
  1. respect for the autonomy and dignity of persons
  2. Scientific value
  3. Social responsibility
  4. maximising benefit and minimising harm
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14
Q

What are the ethical standards to do with respect for the autonomy and dignity of persons in the BPS code of human research ethics?

A

 Inform of nature of research
 Avoid discriminatory practices
 Ensure self-determination (protect against coercion)
 Ensure privacy

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15
Q

What are the ethical standards to do with scientific values in the BPS code of human research ethics?

A

 Accountability for research quality

 Research question influential to society in some way

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16
Q

What are the ethical standards to do with social responsibility in the BPS code of human research ethics?

A

 Purpose of research
 Awareness of outcomes (predicted and unexpected)
 Acknowledge limitations

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17
Q

What are the ethical standards to do with maximising benefit and minimising harm in the BPS code of human research ethics?

A

 Assessing and identifying risk

 Put in place measures to minimise or manage risks

18
Q

What are practical considerations?

A
  • Risk
  • Valid consent
  • Confidentiality
  • Giving advice
  • Deception
  • Debriefing
  • Professionalism
19
Q

What is risk and what must risk be no greater than with experiments?

A
  • Defined as the potential physical or psychological harm, discomfort or stress
  • All psychological research carries some risk
  • Normally, risk must be no greater than in ordinary life
20
Q

What is it your responsibility to do with risks?

A

 Identify potential risks
 Develop protocols for risk management
 Inform participants of any risks

21
Q

What displays more than minimal risk?

A
  • Vulnerable groups
  • Sensitive topics
  • Significant deception
  • Access to personal or confidential information
  • Access to sensitive data via third parties
  • Psychological stress, anxiety, humiliation
  • Invasive interventions, or more than minimal pain
  • Potential impact on employment or social standing
  • Labelling by researcher or participant
22
Q

What two stages does informed consent involve?

A
  1. Instructing potential participants about the nature of the study
  2. Obtaining their written agreement to take part (exceptions: public records, some field research)
23
Q

What does the participation information form describe?

A
  1. The nature of the study
  2. Any potential risks of inconveniences
  3. The procedure for ensuring anonymity or confidentiality of data
  4. The voluntary nature of the study and the right to withdraw at any time
24
Q

Who can and cannot give consent?

A
  • For children <16 years and others where capacity to consent may be impaired, the additional consent or parents of those with legal responsibility for the individual should be sought
  • You should still try and obtain consent from the individual and try your hardest to explain the study in terms they understand
  • There are also guidelines for people aged 16+ who are unable to make decisions themselves i.e. they lack capacity (Mental capacity act, 2005)
  • This may be the results of a variety of conditions, including:
     Dementia
     Mental illness
     Learning disability
     Brain damage
     Intoxication
     Any other condition causing confusion, drowsiness of loss of consciousness
25
Q

What does the mental capacity assessment say?

A
  • The act says that a person is unable to make a decision if unable to:
     Understand the information relevant to the decision
     Retain the information
     Use or weigh the information
     Communicate his or her decision (by any means)
26
Q

What should be features of the consent form?

A
  • Use clear understandable language

- Cater to population you are working with

27
Q

What are features of non-participation and withdrawal?

A
  • Participants should be advised at the outset that they have the right to reuse to participate or to withdraw from the study:
     At any time
     Without giving a reason
     Without prejudice
  • Participants also have the right to withdraw their data retrospectively
     Notify of any time restrictions
28
Q

Give features of confidentiality

A
  • Ideally research allows complete anonymity
     Where any identifying information is collected, that information must be kept confidential
     If there is any reason to breach confidentiality, this should be agreed with Ps in advance of participation
  • Participant information forms should detail how data will be kept confidential
  • Information provided by participants in research should not be divulged to any outside source
     Includes both intentional and unintentional ‘leaks’
29
Q

When is giving advice ethical?

A

 It forms an intrinsic part of the study
 It has been agreed with the participant in advance
 It has been subject to ethics review in advance
- If you obtain evidence of problems unexpectedly:
 Duty to inform participant IF failing to do so endangers the participants future wellbeing
 Should identify risk of such evidence emerging

30
Q

what is deception by commission?

A

actively misleading

31
Q

What is deception by omission?

A

Failing to disclose all details

32
Q

When may accidental deception occur?

A

 Misunderstandings of what is required in the study
 Misrepresentations of amount of time required
 Experimental ‘extras’ that aren’t explained to the participants prior to obtaining consent

33
Q

What is debriefing?

A
  • Responsibility of research where deception has been employed
     To ensure Ps are provided with sufficient information to fully understand the nature of the research at the earliest opportunity
34
Q

What type of intervention is debriefing?

A

An active intervention

35
Q

What is the purpose of debriefing?

A

 Providing information to P about their role in the study both before and after they participate
 Attempts to reduce any distress that may have been or are likely to be caused by the study

36
Q

What are potential threats to ethics?

A
  • if the participant can’t contact the experimenter after research
  • Debrief isn’t feasible
  • Any studies that involve deception
37
Q

What is professionalism?

A
  • Researchers have the responsibility to report with honesty and accuracy the results of their studies
  • Researchers must also ensure that they give credit to the original source of ideas and other intellectual contributions when it has been used in their work:
     Plagiarism
     Must maintain original data and electronic copies of project write-up for potential verification
38
Q

What should a participant expect pre-study?

A

 Information about purpose, risks, rewards

 Opportunity to ask questions

39
Q

What should the participant expect during the study?

A

 Right to withdraw

 No unexpected risks

40
Q

What should the participant expect post-study?

A

 Debrief
 Right to withdraw
 Opportunity to ask questions and/or see results (doesn’t necessarily need to be individual level data)