Research Methods: Ethical Issues

Question 1

What does the BPS stand for

Answer 1

The British Psychological Society

Question 2

What does the BPS increase and support

Answer 2

-The BPS increases awarenesses of psychology and supports members’ professional development by providing a wide rangen of conferences, events and training.

Question 3

What else do the BPS do

Answer 3

-They also do accredited course/degrees, meaning that you need a degree accredited by them to do certain jobs .e.g. psychologist

Question 4

PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL RESEARCH

Answer 4

-RESPECT
-COMPETENCE
-RESPONSIBLITY
-INTEGRITY

Question 5

What does respect mean

Answer 5

-For the dignity and worth of all people

Question 6

An example of respect is:

Answer 6

-Asking for permission before someone takes part

Question 7

What does competence mean

Answer 7

-Maintain high standards

Question 8

Example of competence:

Answer 8

-Making sure the researcher has proper training or experience

Question 9

What does responsibility mean

Answer 9

-To their clients, general public and field of psychology

Question 10

Example of responsibility;

Answer 10

-Stopping a study if a participant becomes upset or uncomfortable

Question 11

What does integrity mean

Answer 11

-Honesty and accuracy

Question 12

Example of integrity;

Answer 12

-Being honest about the aims of the study and reporting results truthfully

Question 13

What is a cost-benefit analysis?

Answer 13

-Is a process used to weigh the potential ethical costs of a study (.e.g. harm, deception, and stress) against the potential benefits (.e.g. scientific knowledge, real-world application, improving lives).

Question 14

What is a cost-benefit analysis used for?

Answer 14

-Used to decide whether a study is ethically acceptable.

Question 15

Name all the ethical issues

Answer 15

1.Informed Consent
2.Deception
3.Protection from harm
4.Right to withdraw
5.Privacy and Confidentiality
6.Debrief

Question 16

What does informed consent mean?

Answer 16

-Is when participants are fully informed about a study’s purpose, procedures, risks, and their rights.
-Also need to voluntarily agree to take part.
-Protects the participants autonomy and ensures that research is conducted ethically and responsibly.

Question 17

How to deal with informed consent?

Answer 17

1.Obtain informed consent- Participants are given a consent form or information sheet explaining the study clearly.

2.Use presumptive consent- If the real participants cannot be told (e.g., deception is needed), the researcher can ask a similar group what they would feel about the study.
If this group would consent, it is assumed the real participants would too.

3. Use prior general consent- Participants agree in advance to take part in a study that may involve deception or incomplete information. They know not every detail will be revealed.
4. Debriefing (after the study)- If full consent couldn’t be given beforehand (e.g., naturalistic observation or deception), the researcher must:

-provide full information afterwards
-explain the true purpose
-check participants are happy
-give the option to withdraw their data

Question 18

What is deception?

Answer 18

-Occurs when a participants are misled or not fully informed about the true aims or procedures of the study, it is only acceptable if it is justified, causes no harm, and participants are fully debriefed afterwards.

-Must be carefully controlled to avoid violating ethical principles like respect, responsibility and integrity.

Question 19

How to deal with deception?

Answer 19

1. Use Debriefing- After the study, participants must be given a full explanation of:

-the true aims
-why deception was necessary
-what was actually being measured
-their right to withdraw their data
The researcher should check for psychological harm and correct any misconceptions.

2. Obtain Prior General Consent
   Participants agree at the start to take part in studies that may involve deception.This means they know that not all details will be revealed until afterwards, so limited deception is ethically allowed.
3. Use Presumptive Consent- A similar group of people is told what the study will involve and asked whether they would agree to take part.
   If they say “yes”, it is presumed that the actual participants would also have consented.
   (This does NOT replace a debrief; it just helps justify the deception.)
4. Avoid Unnecessary Deception- Researchers should only deceive participants when:
   -it is absolutely necessary for valid results
   -there is minimal risk
   -there is no reasonable alternative

Ethics committees must approve this beforehand.

Question 20

What does protection from harm mean?

Answer 20

-Means that participants must be protected from physical or psychological harm during and after the study.

-Includes avoiding stress, anxiety, embarrassment, or any long-term negative effects.

-Ensuring protection from harm maintained the participants well-being which is a core ethical responsibility in all psychological research.

Question 21

How to deal with protection from harm?

Answer 21

How to deal with it:

-Avoid stressful or risky procedures wherever possible.

-Stop the study immediately if participants show signs of distress.

-Screen participants beforehand if the study might be emotionally demanding.

-Provide support afterwards, such as counselling or contact details if needed.

-Debrief fully to reassure participants and reduce negative feelings.

Question 22

What is the right to withdraw?

Answer 22

-Means that participants can leave the study at any time or withdraw their data after taking part, without any pressure or penalty, ensures that participants maintain control over involvement.

-Protects the participants autonomy, dignity, well-being, which are central to ethical research.

Question 23

How do to deal with right to withdraw?

Answer 23

How to deal with it:

-Tell participants beforehand that they can withdraw at any point without penalty.

-Remind them during the study (especially if it becomes stressful).

-Give them the option to withdraw their data afterwards, especially if deception was used.

-Ensure no pressure is placed on them to stay.

Question 24

What is privacy?

Answer 24

-Is an individual’s right to control their personal information, while confidentiality is the psychologist’s ethical duty to protect that information from unauthorised disclosure.

Question 25

How to do deal with privacy?

Answer 25

How to deal with it: -Only conduct observations in public places unless consent is given. -Avoid observing in private spaces (homes, toilets, changing rooms, etc.). -If naturalistic observation is used, ensure no private behaviour is recorded. -Debrief afterwards if the observation involved a situation where participants were not aware of being observed. An ethics committee should decide if the setting is appropriate.

Question 26

What is confidentiality?

Answer 26

-Is the psychologist’s ethical duty to protect that information from unauthorised disclosure.

Question 27

How to deal with confidentiality?

Answer 27

How to deal with it: -Use participant numbers or pseudonyms instead of real names. -Store data securely, e.g., password-protected files. -Ensure results are reported collectively, not individually. -Destroy identifying information after use.

Question 28

Respecting privacy and confidentiality builds what and does what?

Answer 28

Trust and protects participants dignity, and ensures compliance with ethical and legal standards.

Question 29

What is debrief?

Answer 29

-When the study ends, the psychologists has to tell the participant the results.

Question 30

How to deal with debrief?

Answer 30

1. Provide a full explanation 2.Check for psychological harm 3. Offer the right to withdraw data 4. Provide contact information 5. Undo any negative effects

Question 31

Strategies to deal with ethical issues are?

Answer 31

1.Ethical guidelines—- code of conduct 2.Cost-benefit analysis 3.Ethics committees 4.Punishment

Question 32

What are the intention of guidelines?

Answer 32

-Is to tell psychologists which behaviours are not acceptable and to give guidance on how to deal with ethical dilemmas.

Question 33

What is an ethics committee and what does it do?

Answer 33

-They approve any study before it begins, the committee looks at all possible ethical issues raised in any research proposal and at how the researcher suggests that the issues will be dealt with, weighing up the benefits of the research against the possible costs to the participants.

Question 34

What is punishment?

Answer 34

-If a psychologist does behave in an unethical manner, such as conducting unacceptable research, then the BPS reviews the research and may decide to bar the person from practising as a psychologist, it is not a legal matter the psychologist wont be sent to prison.

Question 35

Limitations of Cost-benefit analysis

Answer 35

-It is difficult, if not impossible, to predict both costs and benefits prior to conducting a study. -It is difficult to assess costs and benefits even after conducting a study.

Question 36

Limitations of BPS guidelines

Answer 36

-Are inevitably rather general because of virtual impossibility of covering every conceivable situation that a researcher may encounter. -Also cultural variations in ethical principles.