ETHICAL GUIDELINES AND SOCIAL RESEARCH.

involving or expressing moral approval or disapproval conforming to accepted professional standards of conduct

“…….. concerned with that which is deemed acceptable in human behaviour, with what is good or bad, right or wrong with human conduct in pursuit of goals or aims. “ ( Penguin Dictionary of Psychology, 1985. )

Good psychological research is possible only if there is mutual respect and confidence between investigators and participants. Ethical guidelines are necessary to clarify the conditions under which psychological research is acceptable. (British Psychological Society, 1990. )

The fundamental ethical question in psychological research is `Does the end justify the means?` : a balance must be struck between the interests of the participants and the value of research.

Ethics is that which is deemed acceptable in human behaviour in pursuit of certain goals or aims. It is not simply a question of right, but of balance between the interests of the participant and the scientific value of the research.

Basically ethics is all about what you can and can’t do with participants.

1990 BPS Ethical Guidelines – Summary 1990 BPS Ethical Guidelines – Summary.( Human Research ) ( Source : British Psychological Society, The Psychologist, vol. 3. No. 6, June 1990. )

CONSENT Participants should give informed consent. In studies involving children, informed parental consent should be obtained. Payment should not be used to induce risk taking behaviour. Special safeguarding procedures are necessary with subjects with limitations in communication or understanding or where unable to give real consent.

DECEPTION. Intentional deception over the purpose of the investigation should be avoided where possible. There must be strong medical or scientific justification for any deception. Appropriate consultation with disinterested colleagues or ethics committees must precede the investigation if it involves deception.

CONFIDENTIALITY. The source of all information should remain confidential. Legislation, including the Data Protection Act, should be adhered to. If confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, the subject should be duly warned.

DEBRIEFING Participants should be fully debriefed. Participants experience should be discussed to assess any negative effects. Debriefing should be in the form of active intervention before leaving the research setting.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE INVESTIGATION. Subjects should be aware of the right to withdraw at any time. This may be done retrospectively by refusing permission for their data to be used.

PROTECTION OF PARTICIPANTS. Participants should be protected from physical or mental harm. Participants should be asked of any factors which may create risk; i.e. medical conditions. Any risk should be no more than could be expected in the course of normal daily lifestyle. There should be the opportunity to contact the investigator at a later date if distress does occur.

OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH. Observation should be only carried out in places where people could expect to be observed by strangers, unless specific permission is obtained beforehand. Care should be taken about the invasion of privacy.

GIVING ADVICE. If an investigator comes across a problem that the subject may be unaware, he has a duty to inform the subject, if he believes failure to do so will cause harm or distress. The investigator should refrain from giving advice if he is not competent to do so and should recommend suitable courses of action.

COLLEAGUES Psychologists have a duty to take action if they believe colleagues to violate these ethical guidelines. Psychologists should encourage and help colleagues to rethink their studies if they think it is necessary.

Protection from harm. Some subjects suffered psychologically; trembling, sweating, stuttering. Possible long term effects of learning that they had given potentially lethal electric shocks to others.

Main ethical issues to consider. W P AN O AN’T O ITH ARTICIPANTS

C D W P ONSENT ECEPTION ONFIDENTIALITY EBRIEFING ITHDRAWAL ROTECTION

C D W P AN O AN’T O ITH ARTICIPANTS