Ethics In Psychology

Question 1

What are ethics?

Answer 1

Ethics are moral principles that all psychologists must comply with.

Question 2

Name 5 Ethical Considerations:

Answer 2

• Informed Consent
• Confidentiality
• Voluntary Participation
• Withdrawal Rights
• Deception in Research

Question 3

Describe informed consent:

Answer 3

Participants are to be fully informed of the events they are participating in, including any risks, what information is being collected and how it will be distributed, unless this information will affect the experiment.

Question 4

Describe Confidentiality:

Answer 4

Psychologists must ensure the privacy of the participants by protecting the information collected throughout the experiment.

Question 5

Describe Voluntary Participation:

Answer 5

All participants must be willing to partake in the experiment without consequences or threats influencing their decision.

Question 6

Describe Withdrawal Rights:

Answer 6

All participants must have the right to withdraw from the experiment at any time, without any consequences.

Question 7

Describe Deception in Research:

Answer 7

Psychologists must not use deception in their research UNLESS prior knowledge of the experiment will affect the participant’s response to it.

Question 8

Describe the principle of Positive Self-Regard:

Answer 8

No physical or emotional harm must occur to the participant, and they must recieve a full debrief/deconditioning at the end.

Question 9

Name 2 examples of experiments that have breached 1 or more of these ethical considerations:

Answer 9

Some answers include:

• Harlow’s Monkey Experiments - 1930s
• Little Albert - 1920
• Milgram Experiment - 1961
• Stanford Prison Experiment - 1970