Ethical issues in research
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What is an ethical issue?
How do they arise?
What can we do about them?
What are the rules and regulations that we
must follow (BPS guidelines)?
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Ethical issues
Problems arising from conflict between
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What is necessary for our research
Our moral obligations towards our PPs
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Practices that raise ethical issues
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Getting informed consent
Deceiving PPs
Putting PPs at elevated risk of harm
Obtaining confidential information
Invading PPs’ privacy
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Why do we care so much about the wellbeing of the PPs? Why don’t we just do
what’s good for our science?
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BPS Guidelines
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Guidelines issued by the British
Psychological Society (or equivalent
professional body e.g. APA)
Clarify what is ethically acceptable in
psychological research
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Informed consent
PPs must be told about anything ‘that might
reasonably affect their willingness to
participate’ (BPS, 1998).
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Can be withdrawn at any time, including during
and after the study
NB: observational studies
NB: children (under 16yrs)
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Deception
Should be avoided if at all possible,
especially where it would raise other issues
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Will it cause stress?
Would the PPs participate if they knew?
APA: only permissible where research is very
important and no alternative method is available
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Risk of harm
Risk should be no more than PPs expect in
everyday life.
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Physical and psychological harm (e.g. stress,
damage to self image)
PPs should leave the study unchanged from how
they entered it (NB: debriefing)
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Confidentiality
All data should be confidential, all PPs should
be anonymous and unidentifiable unless prior
informed consent given
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Can be problematic in case studies
Procedures should routinely anonymise PPs (e.g.
through use of numbers; not recording names
etc.)
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Privacy
PPs’ right to privacy must be respected esp.
since invasions of privacy may affect wellbeing and raise confidentiality issues
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Respect social & cultural variability
PPs may be unwilling to answer certain Qs.
Observe only public behaviour in public places
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Briefing
Before the study, researcher must obtain
consent & ensure PPs understand tasks etc.
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Explain nature of study & invite participation
Instruct PP about what is expected of them &
what will happen
Confirm that they fully consent
Explain that they can withdraw at any time, for
any reason
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Debriefing
After the study, researcher should ensure that
PPs are returned to their initial state &
informed about the research they have
participated in.
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Ensure no harm has occurred
Obtain feedback about the study
Widen public understanding of psychology
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Explain the aims and nature of the study
Explain any deceptions used
Reassure the PPs about their performance or
behaviour
Offer retrospective withdrawal
Get feedback
Invite & answer questions
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Debriefing