ethical issues

Question 1

BPS code of ethics

Answer 1

a quasi-legal document produced by the British Psychological society that instructs psychologists in the UK of ethical guidelines which if researchers dont follow, they can lose their jobs. The code is built on respect, competence, responsibility and integrity

Question 2

ethics committees

Answer 2

• implement ethical guidelines
• use cost-benefit analysis to determine whether research is ethically acceptable
• weight up costs (ethical issues) against benefits (what we could learn from the research)

Question 3

ethical issues

Answer 3

arise when conflict exists between the rights of participants and the goals of the research to produce authentic, valid data

Question 4

informed consent

Answer 4

participants in studies should know the basics of what they are getting into before doing it. They are made aware of the aims, procedures, their rights, and what the data will be used for before making an informed judgement as to whether to take part or not

Question 5

how is informed consent given to participants?

Answer 5

• a consent form is sent to them
• it details the aim, procedure, their rights, and what the data will be used for, before the study
• they should sign if they agree to participate

Question 6

deception

Answer 6

deliberately misleading or withholding information from participants at any stage of the investigation. Participants who have not received adequate information when they agreed to take part cannot be said to give informed consent

Question 7

how is deception overcome

Answer 7

• participants are given a debrief of the study at the end
• it includes the ways in which they were deceived (aims, procedures, anything that was hidden from them)
• remind them of their rights to withdraw their data

Question 8

protection from harm

Answer 8

Participants should not be placed at any more risk than they would in their daily lives, and should be protected from physical and psychological harm.
Participants are reminded of their right to withdraw at any point.

Question 9

how protection from harm is overcome if not upheld

Answer 9

• researchers can offer counselling to participants
• researchers can reassure them that their actions in the investigation were normal
• researchers give participants the option to withdraw their data
• make sure there is no greater harm than they would experience in every day life

Question 10

confidentiality

Answer 10

the right to have any personal data protected

if privacy is invaded then confidentiality should be protected

Question 11

how confidentiality is dealt with

Answer 11

• participants’ data is protected and their results can be submitted anonymously by assigning them a number or pseudonym
• remind them of this on the consent form/debrief sheet

Question 12

privacy

Answer 12

participants have the right to control information about themselves

Question 13

how privacy is dealt with

Answer 13

participants’ data is protected, and their results can be submitted anonymously

Question 14

right to withdraw

Answer 14

participants have the right to leave the study at any time and remove their data from the investigation

Question 15

how right to withdraw is dealt with

Answer 15

• repeatedly tell them
• on the consent form, before the study starts, during the study, debrief sheet

Question 16

debriefing

Answer 16

at the end of the study, participants should be given a full debrief where they are made aware of the true aims of the investigation and any details they were not supplied with

Question 17

presumptive consent

Answer 17

rather than getting consent from the participants themselves, a similar group of people are asked if the study is acceptable. If this group agrees, then the consent of the participants is ‘presumed’

Question 18

prior general consent

Answer 18

participants give their permission to take part in a number of different studies, including one that will involve deception. By consenting, participants are consenting to be deceived

Question 19

retrospective consent

Answer 19

participants are asked for their consent during debriefing, having already taken part in the study. They may not have been aware of their participation or may have been subject to deception

Question 20

cost-benefit analysis

Answer 20

the ethics committees are responsible for weighing up the costs and benefits of research proposals to decide whether a research study should go ahead