Ethical Issues

Página 1

Ethical issues arise when a conflict/dilemma exists between participants rights and researchers needs to gain valuable findings. This conflict may have implications for the safety and wellbeing of participants.

Informed Consent:

Informed consent involves making participants aware of the aims of the research, the procedures, their rights (including the right to withdraw at any time) and what their data will be used for. Participants should then make an informed decision about whether or not to take part. without feeling like they have to. Some researchers may feel that informed consent makes their research meaningless as participants behaviour is less likely to be natural if they know the aims of the study.

Deception:

Deception means ddeliberately misleading or withholding information from participants. Participants who have not been given adequte information cannot be said to have given informed consent. Deception can be justified if it does not cause the participant unnecessary distress.

Página 2

Protection from harm:

Participants should not be placed at any more risk than they would be in their daily lives and should be protected from both physical and psychological harm. This includes not being made to feel embarrassed inadequate or being placed under stress/pressure. Participants hould be reminded that they have the right to withdraw at any time.

Privacy and Confidentiality:

Participants have the right to control information about themselves. This is the right to privacy. If this is invaded then confidentiality should be protected. Confidentiality is our right to have any personal data protected. This is enforced by the data protection act.

Página 3

Dealing with Ethical Issues:

BPS Codes of Conduct:

The British Psychological Society (BPS) has its own code of ethics which includes a set of ethical guidelines. Researchers should follow these guidelines with care when conducting research or they could lose their job. The guidelines attempt to ensure that all participants are treated with respect and consideration. Guidelines are implemented by the ethics committees who use a cost-benefit approach to determine whether research proposals are ethically acceptable or not.

Dealing with informed consent:

Participants should be given a consent letter/form that contains all relevant details that may affect their decision to participate. The participant signs the form if they agree. For participants under the age of 16, parental/carer consent is needed.

Dealing with deception and protection from harm:

At the end of the study participants should be given a debrief about the true aims of the experiment and any details they were not given during the study. Participants should be told what their data will be used for and must be given the right to withhold data. Participants should be reassured their behaviour was typical/normal and offered counselling if required.

Página 4

Dealing with confidentiality:

If personal details are held then they must be protected. Researchers should try to keep participants anonymous and use numbers/initials when writing up the investigation. During briefing and debriefing participants should be reminded that their data will be protected.

Alternative ways of getting consent:

Presumptive consent - rather than getting consent from the participants themselves, a similar group of people are asked if the study is acceptable. If they agree then consent of the original participants is presumed

Prior general consent - participants give their permission to take part in a number of different studies including one that involves deception. By consenting participants are effectively consenting to be deceived

Retrospective consent - participants are asked for their consent (during debriefing) having already taken part in the study. They may have not been aware of their participation or they may have been deceived