1. Ethics
- Describe 5
ethical guidelines
for using human
participants
-Evaluate ethical
issues in human
and animal
research
Mr Oakes

2. What are ethics?
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. TAKEN FROM:
http://www.bps.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/code_of
_ethics_and_conduct.pdf
`Does the end justify the means?`

3.  Basicallyethics is all
about what you can
and can’t do with
participants
Can Do, Can’t Do With Participants

4. 1. RESPECT
2. COMPETENCE
3. RESPONSIBILITY
4. INTEGRITY
 The guidelines are very extensive
 View them at: http://www.bps.org.uk/what-
we-do/ethics-standards/ethics-standards

5.  List any potential ethical issues
 Does Derren Brown break any? 13.30 -
 Which ethical issues does he adhere to?
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=MDwe_PNrACI&has_verified=1

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. RIGHT TO WITHDRAW
 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.

10. COMPETENCE.
 The research must have the relevant
qualifications and ability to carry out the
study:
 Know the ethical guidelines
 Adhere to safe practice
 Know where and how to store the data
 Seek advice in areas not confident in
 Understand the implications of the study

11. Around the room are 5 scenarios
Identify which ethical guidelines have been
broken and suggest how these experiments
could be improved.

12. Why a consideration of ethics are
necessary even in schools!
An elementary school class started a class project
to make a planter to take home to their parents.
They wanted to have a plant that was easy to care for,
so they decided to use cactus.
The students were given greenware pottery planters
in the shape of a clown which they painted with glaze.
The clown planters were professionally fired at a class
outing
so they could see the process.
The children all had a good time.
They planted the cactus seeds in the finished planters
and they grew nicely but unfortunately the children
were
not allowed to take them home.
The cactus plants were removed
and a small ivy put in their place.
Then the children were then allowed to take them
home.

13. General Advantages of having
Ethical guidelines
 PROTECTION – of participants, society’s morals &
psychology discipline.
- ensure people taking part in psychological research
are NOT at great risk of distress or any other
traumatic experience
- giving participants rights, such as informed consent,
right to withdraw, means participants are more likely
to agree to take part
- used to be called ‘subjects’ – implies no power or respect
– right to withdraw guideline strengthened and agreed to
be called participants

14. General Disadvantages of Ethical
guidelines
 RESTRICT STUDIES
 To ensure findings are valid & useful
 Research method often make it hard to obey the
guidelines with out influencing the results
- Natural observations – can not gain informed consent,
give right to withdraw or debrief them

15. Ethical Dilemma
 Psychologists must weigh up the costs against
the benefits.
 They must ask; “What are the costs to the
participants versus the benefits of
understanding that can be gained from the
results?”

16.  C……………….
 D……………………….
 R…………… to w…………………..
 D……………………………………..
 P……………………………
 C…………………….
 All participants should be b………….. before
a study and thoroughly d…………………………afterwards