Topic: Psychology- Ethical Issues
Key points/ Notes/Diagrams:
Main Ideas/
The British Psychological Society (BPS) has its own code of BPS ethics.
Questions: Researchers must observe these guidelines or they could lose their jobs. Guidelines
are implemented by ethics committees who often use a cost-benefit approach to
What is the British determine whether research proposals are ethically acceptable.
Psychological Society - Deception- Deliberately misleading or withholding information from
(BPS) code of ethics? participants. However deception is OK if it doesn’t cause distress to the
participant. (links with informed consent)
Is deception - Right to withdraw
acceptable or not - Informed consent- Participants should agree to take part in the study and
acceptable during a aim of the procedure and their rights (Including rights to withdraw). Also what
study? their data will be used for.
- Protection from harm- Psychologists should protect participants from
What information psychological and physical harm.
must remain ● Participants should not be: deceived, caused any distress, caused
unnamed in a study? any discomfort/embarrassment, caused any physical harm/be at
risk, placed more at risk than in their daily lives.
What should ● Participants should be: leave study in the same state as when they
participants be given entered
at the end of a study? - Privacy and confidentiality
● Confidentiality- Our right to have any personal data protected.
What is a debrief? You should not be able to identify participants from psychological
research.
The failure to comply ● Privacy- Participants have the right to control information about
with the BPS themselves. Names and locations of geographical areas of study
guidelines results in should remain unnamed.
the researcher…?
Debrief- At the end of a study, participants should be given a full debrief.
What are the - Participants should be made aware of the true aims/existence of other
guidelines groups/ experimental conditions and any other withheld information.
implemented by, in - Participants must be told what data will be used for and be given the right to
the BPS? withhold data.
- Participants should be reassured and if they have been subject to stress
What is a cost-benefit counselling should be provided if required.
approach?
>_<
Summary: Deception, right to withdraw, informed consent, protection from harm, privacy and
confidentiality are part of the ethics committees’ guidelines and cost-benefit approach in BPS (British
Psychological Society) to ensure the participants’ psychological and physical safety. Researchers and
psychologists must comply with this. At the end of the study, a full debrief of the study must be given to the
participants.
Key points/ Notes/Diagrams:
Main Ideas/
The British Psychological Society (BPS) has its own code of BPS ethics.
Questions: Researchers must observe these guidelines or they could lose their jobs. Guidelines
are implemented by ethics committees who often use a cost-benefit approach to
What is the British determine whether research proposals are ethically acceptable.
Psychological Society - Deception- Deliberately misleading or withholding information from
(BPS) code of ethics? participants. However deception is OK if it doesn’t cause distress to the
participant. (links with informed consent)
Is deception - Right to withdraw
acceptable or not - Informed consent- Participants should agree to take part in the study and
acceptable during a aim of the procedure and their rights (Including rights to withdraw). Also what
study? their data will be used for.
- Protection from harm- Psychologists should protect participants from
What information psychological and physical harm.
must remain ● Participants should not be: deceived, caused any distress, caused
unnamed in a study? any discomfort/embarrassment, caused any physical harm/be at
risk, placed more at risk than in their daily lives.
What should ● Participants should be: leave study in the same state as when they
participants be given entered
at the end of a study? - Privacy and confidentiality
● Confidentiality- Our right to have any personal data protected.
What is a debrief? You should not be able to identify participants from psychological
research.
The failure to comply ● Privacy- Participants have the right to control information about
with the BPS themselves. Names and locations of geographical areas of study
guidelines results in should remain unnamed.
the researcher…?
Debrief- At the end of a study, participants should be given a full debrief.
What are the - Participants should be made aware of the true aims/existence of other
guidelines groups/ experimental conditions and any other withheld information.
implemented by, in - Participants must be told what data will be used for and be given the right to
the BPS? withhold data.
- Participants should be reassured and if they have been subject to stress
What is a cost-benefit counselling should be provided if required.
approach?
>_<
Summary: Deception, right to withdraw, informed consent, protection from harm, privacy and
confidentiality are part of the ethics committees’ guidelines and cost-benefit approach in BPS (British
Psychological Society) to ensure the participants’ psychological and physical safety. Researchers and
psychologists must comply with this. At the end of the study, a full debrief of the study must be given to the
participants.
