1. Ethical Issues in Psychology
What’s the Problem?

3. Why are ethics important?
A number of reasons including:
Moral obligation to society
Professional values
Image of the discipline and profession
Practical reasons e.g. getting participants

4. What are the issues?
Research practices that threaten (directly or indirectly) the well- being of the participants:
Informed consent (lack of)
Deception
Risk of harm (physical/psychological)
Confidentiality & privacy (threats to)

6. Ethical??
Car Crash and Ethics

7. Three Ethical Perspectives
1. Deontological
The correctness of an action lies in itself, not its consequences
E.g. lying is always wrong, even if it produces a good outcome

8. Three Ethical Perspectives
2. Teleological
The correctness of an action is determined by its intended consequences
E.g. lying is good if it is done for the ‘right’ reasons (like protecting a person from harm)

9. Three Ethical Perspectives
3. Utilitarian (A form of teleological ethics)
The moral correctness of an action is determined by its consequences for society as a whole – “The greatest good for the greatest number”
Psychological researchers usually take a utilitarian view, but with certain absolute prohibitions.

10. Making ethical decisions
Where ethical problems arise, a cost-benefit analysis is often applied.

11. Costs and Benefits
Costs are the (potentially) negative consequences of the research – usually for the PPs involved.
Benefits are the (potentially) positive consequences of the research for the PPs or (more usually) for society.

12. Cost-benefit analysis
Provides a framework for making ethical decisions
Involves subjective judgements about costs and benefits
However consequences cannot always be anticipated e.g. Zimbardo, Milgram