Ethics (RESEARCH METHODS 2/3) Flashcards
ethics
correct rules of conduct necessary when carrying out research
researchers have moral responsibility to protect participants from harm, respect rights and dignity
must abide by certain moral standards
to protect research participants, the reputation of psychology and the psychologists themselves
ethics committee
every institution in which research takes place must have an ethics committee approve research
consider ethical implications and how researcher will deal with them
use BPS guidelines and carry out cost-benefit analysis
made up of range of members with broad experience of psychology and two external members (one from another university department and a lay person with no knowledge of psychology, distance research from morals, reduce bias)
British Psychological Society (BPS)
American Psychological Association (APA)
BPS ethics principles - RESPECT
respect dignities, understand cultural differences and backgrounds, individuals have the right to be treated in a fair and unprejudiced way, acknowledges that all humans are worthy of equal moral consideration
BPS ethics principles - COMPETENCE
should not claim to be competent if not, research and practice should be carried out to best of ability, should keep up to date and look for improvements, important to work with recognised limits of knowledge, skill, training, education and experience
BPS ethics principles - RESPONSIBILITY
maintain professional boundaries, act on misconduct, honest and cause no harm, must take steps to make things right, responsible to participants and monitor mental and physical health, awareness of responsibility ensures trust is not abused, power of influence properly managed and duty towards others is paramount
BPS ethics principles - INTEGRITY
honesty and accuracy, conflicts of interest must be identified and explained, professional boundaries maintained, requires putting self-interest to one side and being objective and open to challenge in professional context
BPS code of ethics
protection from harm
informed consent
deception
confidentiality
right to withdraw
debrief
protection from harm
responsibility to protect participants from physical and emotional harm e.g. embarrassment, humiliation, stress or loss of self-esteem or dignity)
should be exposed to no more risk than in everyday life
risk should be minimal and pose no long term harm or prolonged personal discomfort
should leave study in the same state and health as they entered it
protection from harm difficulties
difficult to determine all potential risks
may carry no physical harm but may still be disruptive and damaging to participants
don’t know how may affect a participant
how protection from harm is dealt with
check with ethics committees to spot any potential problems
ask participants about physical / mental conditions
debrief and provide aftercare
informed consent
when participants know aims, nature of procedure, purpose of role and agrees to it (opportunity to withdraw, data and method)
should be fully informed before consenting but not always possible
verbal or written
how informed consent is dealt with
ask participants to read and sign a consent form or guardians of children under 16 (or adult with communication / understanding difficulties - carer may be consulted)
children’s wishes should overrule parents if they don’t want to participate
children should still be informed, need to safeguard for under 18s
Raine’s research on brain differences in murderers used people who were incarcerated who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity - not understand requirement, put under pressure
deception
should not withhold information or deliberately mislead about nature of experiment to encourage people to consent or get more valid results
debrief should be used to explain real aim and rationale
exceptions to deception
when deception is minor
deemed scientifically justified by an ethics committee
if participants are unlikely to object / show unease when deception revealed
used to prevent demand characteristics - behaviour is natural and results are more valid
may be necessary that participants do not know the purpose to get realistic results - dealt with in ethical ways
types of deception
DELIBERATE MISLEADING - e.g. using confederates, staged manipulation in field settings, deceptive instructions
DECEPTION BY OMISSION - e.g. failure to disclose full info or creating ambiguity