Quantitative- ethics in psychological research

Question 1

The start of formalising ethics

Answer 1

• The Tuskegee syphilis study

- The Belmont Report: Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research (1979)

Question 2

Three fundamental principles of ethics in psych research

Answer 2

1. Beneficence: maximising benefits and minimising risks (cannot be completely risk free)
2. Autonomy: people are treated as capable of making decisions about whether or not to participate in research (consent is NB.
   Need caregiver or legal guardian for intellectually disabled or children)
3. Justice: fairness (Need to invite both men and women in studies. Have you included women in this study? Have you included minorities? And need to justify why.)

Question 3

Ethics Codes

Answer 3

• Institutional Review Board
• The American Psychological Association Ethics Code
• The Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association

Question 4

3 aspects of informed consent

Answer 4

1. Knowledge: Understanding the nature of theexperiment, the alternatives available, and the potential risks and benefits. (weighing up risks and benefits)
2. Volition: participants must provide their consent free from constraint or duress and may revoke their consent at any time
3. Competence: The individual’s ability to make a well-reasoned decision and to give consent meaningfully

(Are you working with special group? Children, prisoners- don’t know when to say no or that they can say no. patients who are desperate- easily coerced into experimental drug trial. Careful people aren’t forced)

Pitch consent at gr 6 level. Assistant talks them through it. Must be given chance to ask questions

Question 5

Consent forms structure

Answer 5

1. Overview (Don’t want consent to give the study away completely. – this would bias the sample.)
2. Description of procedures
3. Risks and inconveniences
4. Benefits (there will be no personal benefits but it will help knowledge grow and help people)
5. Costs and economic considerations
6. Confidentiality (files are locked, etc. there will be an audit by ethics committee)
7. Alternative treatments
8. Voluntary participation
9. Questions and further info
10. Signature line

Question 6

Other ethical issues in research

Answer 6

Fraud
Allocation of credit
Sharing of materials and data
(Plagiarism, 
Share with each other to build on for more knowledge)