Scientific Process - Ethics Flashcards
What are the 6 different rules that all researchers must follow?
Informed consent
Protection from harm
Right to withdraw
Confidentiality
Avoid deception
Debriefing
What is informed consent?
Explaining the purpose of the study and what it will involve
No need to pressure their consent
Participants should be told that they will receive a full debriefing at the end
What is protection from harm?
Risk of harm during experiments should be no greater than in ordinary life
Psychologists should end the study immediately if they suspect a participant may be harmed
Participants should be able to leave in the same conditions they entered
What is the right to withdraw?
Participants must be made aware that they can leave the study at any time regardless of any rewards offered
What is difficult about the right to withdraw?
It is difficult to implement in covert and field experiments
What is confidentiality?
Participants’ data is kept secret and not disclosed to anyone unless agreed in advance
How can confidentiality be ensured?
Use numbers/letters instead of names when research is published
What is the difference between confidentiality and anonymity?
Name is given in confidentiality but not given for anonymity
What is the criteria for the avoidance of deception?
The withholding of information or misleading of participants is not acceptable if the participants are likely to object once they know they have been deceived
Deception should be avoided wherever possible
What is the exception for using deception?
Participants can only be deceived with scientific or medical justification
What are the requirements for using deception?
An ethics committee conduct a cost-benefit analysis to see if research involving deception should be carried out
If deception is used, participants need to be told why it was necessary and debriefed at the end
What is a debrief?
When participants are told the aim of the study and about other conditions
Researchers should check on the participants’ health and remind them of their right to withdraw and confidentiality
