Ethics (RESEARCH METHODS 2/3) Flashcards

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1
Q

ethics

A

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

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2
Q

ethics committee

A

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)

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3
Q

BPS ethics principles - RESPECT

A

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

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4
Q

BPS ethics principles - COMPETENCE

A

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

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5
Q

BPS ethics principles - RESPONSIBILITY

A

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

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6
Q

BPS ethics principles - INTEGRITY

A

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

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7
Q

BPS code of ethics

A

protection from harm
informed consent
deception
confidentiality
right to withdraw
debrief

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8
Q

protection from harm

A

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

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9
Q

protection from harm difficulties

A

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

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10
Q

how protection from harm is dealt with

A

check with ethics committees to spot any potential problems
ask participants about physical / mental conditions
debrief and provide aftercare

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11
Q

informed consent

A

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

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12
Q

how informed consent is dealt with

A

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

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13
Q

deception

A

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

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14
Q

exceptions to deception

A

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

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15
Q

types of deception

A

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

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16
Q

types of consent (relevant to deception)

A

PRESUMPTIVE CONSENT - people from a similar background asked whether they would be willing, deemed that participants would be too
PRIOR GENERAL CONSENT - agree to be decieved without knowing how
RETROSPECTIVE CONSENT - asking for consent after the study

17
Q

confidentiality

A

should feel confident that the report won’t reveal data which makes it possible for individual participants to be identified
should remain anonymous
difficult in high profile cases - pseudonyms used but if considerable coverage on a widescale, may still be identified
should allocate numbers, letters of codes to data to ensure anonymity
keep location of research as general as possible
consent must be gained if anonymity is impossible

18
Q

right to withdraw

A

should be allowed to leave at any point or withdraw their data
should be no pressure to continue (payment, spoiling the study)
should be reminded of this right

19
Q

debrief

A

should be briefed at start as much as possible
too much detail may affect results so a full debrief is needed
includes explanation of study, expected and real results
right to withdraw offered
purpose to remove misconceptions and anxieties about research and to leave them with a sense of dignity, knowledge and time not wasted

20
Q

cost-benefit analysis

A

used by ethics committees
weigh up potential costs to participants with potential benefits to science or society

21
Q

ignoring ethical guidelines or ethics committees

A

psychologists cannot be banned from research but may be expelled from university or professional research, have research license revoked and may face legal action from participants

22
Q

informed consent forms

A

makes participant aware of what the experiment involves
- purpose of study
- explanation of exactly what required to do
- duration of study
- how to withdraw
- issues of confidentiality / anonymity
- space to gather consent (signature) and date

23
Q

debrief forms

A

explanation at the end of the study
- purpose of the project
- how and when results will be available
- confidentiality (results anonymous)
- right to withdraw - how to withdraw data and time-frame in which they can withdraw (any payment offered still given)
- psychological harm - leaving in same state as entering the study, ensure not distressed or offended
- whom participant should contact if they wish further information

  • what research uncovered
  • what the other condition was
  • next steps of the project
  • thank the participant

necessary for studies involving deception
verbal debrief may be necessary for sensitive topics to ensure they are not distressed