Ethics

Question 1

Lack of Informed Consent

Answer 1

• Informed consent: Participants make an informed decision as to whether they wish to participate in the study
  > Know the real aims, the purposes of all procedures and be aware of everything they could possibly experience through taking part in the study.

Question 2

Solution for Lack of Informed Consent

Answer 2

Consent Form
> Should include the following (where possible): ·
- The purpose of the study
- The length of time required of the participants
- What the participants can expect
- Right to withdraw
- Reassurance about protection from harm.
- Reassurance about confidentiality of data
- An opportunity to ask questions.

Question 3

Deception

Answer 3

• Any instance in which the participants have been lied to or misled

Question 4

Solution for Deception

Answer 4

• Debrief
  > Thoroughly addressed in the debrief.
  > Any untruths should be highlighted with reasons given for why they were necessary.

Question 5

Protection from Harm

Answer 5

• Participants should not be put in a situation that could cause them to be more at risk of physical or psychological harm than in their day to day lives
  > eg. Feelings of anxiety, embarrassment or extreme frustration.

Question 6

Solutions for Protection from Harm

Answer 6

1. Don’t do anything that could lead to harm
   > If any procedures are likely to increase the participants’ risk of harm they should not be undertaken.
2. Stop the study
   > Sometimes harm cannot be foreseen, e.g. a researcher might genuinely not predict that a procedure will lead to distress.
   > In such a case the study should be stopped immediately.

Question 7

Confidentiality

Answer 7

• Results must not be traceable back to the participants.

> This is especially relevant when considering sensitive topics.

Question 8

Solutions for Confidentiality

Answer 8

• 1. Don’t record names
     > No need to have participants write information that could identify them on their responses.
     
     2. Use pseudonyms or initials

Question 9

Privacy

Answer 9

• Participants should only be studied if they are in a place in which they would expect to have other people see them.
  > eg. Observational study it would be unacceptable to peer into people’s gardens with binoculars but it would be OK to sit in a coffee shop and observe behaviour.

Question 10

Solutions to Privacy

Answer 10

1. Choose location carefully
   > Only observe participants where they would reasonably expect to be seen by others.
2. Debrief
   > Once the data has been collected approach the participant to explain the purpose of the study and give them the option to withdraw their data.

Question 11

Right to Withdraw

Answer 11

• Participation is voluntary and so right to withdraw becomes an issue if participants haven’t been told that they can leave at any point.

Question 12

Solution for right to withdraw

Answer 12

1. Make right to withdraw clear
   > At the start of the study make it clear that participation is voluntary.
2. Allow data to be withdrawn once it has been collected
   > Participants have the right to have their data removed from analysis even after it has been collected.

Question 13

What are the 4 main themes for ethics outlined by British Psychological Society ?

Answer 13

1. Respect
   > Show respect for their participants (knowledge, culture, beliefs, dignity)
   > Informed consent, confidential info, respect privacy, right to withdraw their data.
2. Integrity
   > Research should be high quality
   > Results reflect real patterns and are not the result of faulty data collection
3. Social Responsibility:
   > Main aim is to improve understanding of human nature
   > Mind to improve policies and the way things are approached as a society
4. Maximise Benefit and Minimise Harm
   > Any potential harm through participation in the study is not greater than that faced in real life
   > Study should be stopped if distress is shown by the participants