ETHICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Some of the studies that you will be looking at may seem a little extreme and
psychologists must ask the question whether or not such studies should take place.
For example:
Are we justified in asking members of the public to administer electric
shocks to another volunteer or lock people away in a simulated prison
just for the sake of research?
What about animal studies? Should researchers take animals from the
wild just to see if they can teach them to speak?
The answer to these questions will depend on our own personal point of view but in
order to protect participants and patients all psychological research must be
carried out in an ETHICAL way.
This means that before any research can be carried
out certain decisions about the morality of the study,
its usefulness to society AND the competence of the
people who are carrying out the research MUST be
considered.
In the United Kingdom psychological research has to
comply with the guidelines drawn up by the British
Psychological Society. These guidelines are based on
four principles
1.
2.
3.
4.
RESPECT
COMPETENCE
INTEGRITY
RESPONSIBILITY
ethics
Noun, pl
1. a code of behaviour, esp. of a
particular group, profession, or
individual:
2. the moral fitness of a decision,
course of action, etc.
Noun
Oxford English Dictionary
For each piece of research we look at you will need to
evaluate the ethical issues raised by the study.
For example: Did the researcher have respect for the
participants? Were they protected from harm?
In order to do this you will need to understand each of the
ethical principles set out by the British Psychological
Society.
Things to do:
Find definitions for
RESPECT:…
COMPETENCE:….
RESPONSIBILTY:…..
INTEGRITY:….
Research the ethical principles set out by the BPS using the website below
http://www.bps.org.uk/system/files/Public%20files/bps_code_of_ethics_2009.pdf
Use the information from the guidelines to complete one of the sections in
the Ethics Booklet below.
1. Ethical Principle: Respect
Briefly describe the “statement of values” for this principle:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Outline the “Standards” that ensure psychologists respect their participants:
Standard of General Respect.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Privacy and Confidentiality.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Informed Consent
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standards of Self-Determination
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Ethical Principle: Competence
Briefly describe the “statement of values” for this principle:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Outline the “Standards” that ensure psychologists are competent to carry out
their research
Standard of Awareness of Professional Ethics
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Ethical Decision Making
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Recognising Limits of Competence
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Recognising Impairment
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Ethical Principle: Responsibility
Briefly describe the “statement of values” for this principle:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Outline the “Standards” that ensure psychologists are responsible in the way they
carry out their research
Standard of General Responsibility
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Termination and Continuity of Care
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Protection of Research Participants
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Debriefing of Research Participants
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Ethical Principle: Integrity
Briefly describe the “statement of values” for this principle:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Outline the “Standards” that ensure psychologists carry out their research with
integrity
Standard of Honesty and Accuracy
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Avoiding Exploitation and Conflicts of Interest
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Maintaining Personal Boundaries
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Standard of Addressing Ethical Misconduct
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..