Ethics- RESEARCH METHODS

Question 1

Ethical issues

Answer 1

• Conflict of dilemma exists between participants’ rights and researchers’ studies.
• Goals of the research to produce authentic, valid + worthwhile data

Question 2

Informed consent

Answer 2

Making participants aware of the aims of the research, the procedures, their rights, what their data will be used for

Question 3

Deception

Answer 3

Deliberately misleading or withholding information from participants at any stage of the investigation

Question 4

Protection from harm

Answer 4

Participants should not be placed at any more risk than they would be in their daily lives and should be protected from physical + psychological harm

Question 5

Privacy

Answer 5

Participants have right to control information about themselves

Question 6

Confidentiality

Answer 6

Having any personal data protected

Question 7

Dealing with informed consent

Answer 7

• Participants should be issued with a consent letter/ form detailing relevant information that might affect their decision to participate.
• Children under 16 need parental consent

Question 8

Dealing with deception and protection from harm

Answer 8

• At the end of the study, participants should be given a full debrief and should be made aware of the true aims of the investigation.
• Participants have the right to withhold data and require counselling if participants have been subject to stress or embarrassment

Question 9

Dealing with confidentiality

Answer 9

If personal details are held these must be protected.

Question 10

BPS code of ethics

Answer 10

• Quasi legal document produced by the British Psychology Society (BPS) that instructs Psychologists about what behaviour is and is not acceptable when dealing with participants.
• Code is built around 4 major principles: RESPECT, COMPETENCE, RESPONSIBILITY, INTEGRITY

Question 11

Presumptive consent

Answer 11

• Rather than getting consent from the participant themselves, a similar group of people are asked if the study is acceptable.
• If the group agrees then the consent of the original participants is presumed.

Question 12

Prior general consent

Answer 12

• Participants give their permission to take part in a number of different studies- one will involve deception.
• By consenting participants are effectively consenting to be deceived

Question 13

Retrospective consent

Answer 13

• Participants are asked for their consent (during debriefing) having already been apart of the study.
• They may not have been aware of their participation or they may have been subject to deception.