Paper 3 - Applied/further ethical considerations

Use of deception

• Deception should not be used in research

• It is permissible if approved by an ethics board if knowing the true purpose of the experiment could affect the participants behavior

• Participants must be debriefed at the end of the study

Undue stress and harm

• if investigating a sensitive issue, it could cause stress to participants.

• They should be told that they can ask the researchers any questions.

• The researchers should ensure that the participants did not suffer any physical/psych

Consent procedures

• Participants need to sign a consent form before the start of the study.

• Acknowledging that they have been informed about the aim and procedures of a study

• This might not be possible if deception is being used.

• A guardian needs to give permission if the person doesn’t have cognitive ability or is under the age of 16.

Confidentiality

• The researchers should ensure that participants knows that the data will be kept in secure storage and destroyed afterwards.

Anonymity

• Researchers must make sure that nobody can identify the participants in research reports, eg. should not be named.

• Risk of stigma if the participants are identifiable.

Rights to withdrawl

• Participants should be informed that they can leave the study at any time and are not obliged to participate if they don’t want to.

• They can withdraw their data.

• Participants who receive something in return for participation, may not feel they can withdraw data.

Volunteer participation

• Participants must willingly agree to involvement without coercion