Ethics and Professional Conduct

Question 0

PARTICIPANTS RIGHTS: Confidentiality

Answer 0

Right to privacy. No details of their involvement in the study can be revealed without their consent. Must be explained before the experiment.

Question 1

Roles and Responsibilities of the Experimenter

Answer 1

• well being of research participants is the main concern.
• participants are not placed at risk of injury or harm in any way.
• not allowed to conduct experiment if it causes participants severe distress.
• need to balance benefits of findings to society against any discomfort or risks to research participants.

Question 2

Voluntary Participation

Answer 2

Experimenter must try to ensure that participants voluntarily consent to be involved in a study. Must not be pressured and there must be no negative consequences.

Question 3

Withdrawal Rights

Answer 3

Experimenter must inform participants of procedures to be used and that they are free to withdraw from the study at any time they like. Also allowed to withdraw results. No negative consequences.

Question 4

Informed Consent

Answer 4

Participants must be appropriately informed of what the study is about and reasoning for its conduction. Informed consent must be appropriately documented. Children and intellectually disabled need consent from parent or guardian.

Question 5

Deception

Answer 5

Sometimes, giving participants information about the experiment may influence their behaviour and affect the accuracy of the results. Experimenters must ensure participants do not suffer distress. Participants must be debriefed at the conclusion of the study.

Question 6

Debriefing

Answer 6

Involves clarifying each participants understanding of the study after it has been conducted. Participants are able to see results and conclusions.

Question 7

Professional Conduct

Answer 7

• Researchers are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner.
• Must not use a position of authority to put pressure on people.
• Psychologists involved in conducting research with colleagues who are not psychologists, must ensure research colleagues follow ethical codes of conduct.

Question 8

Use of Animals in Psychological Research

Answer 8

• 10% of research involves non-human participants including mice, rats, hamsters and pidgeons.
• 5% are monkeys and other primates.
  2 arguments: not possible to apply results of animals to humans as species aren’t the same and humans should respect animals and protect them from harm.
• often research won’t take as long.