Ethical guidelines - year 10 GCSE psychology

British Psychological Society Ethics

Principles designed by the British Psychological Society (BPS) to ensure that psychologists conduct their work ethically

Ethical guidelines

Moral rules that prevent participants from harm, BPS has stated 6 major ones

Protection of participants

Participants should not experience physical or psychological harm (e.g. embarrassment, distress, discomfort, injury, illness, etc.)

Consent

Participants should give consent in taking part, ideally being fully informed about the nature and aim of the study

Right to withdraw

Participants should be able to withdraw their consent at any point of the study

Deception

Participants should not be lied to unless necessary

Debrief

Participants should be fully informed the real aim of the study when the study is over (if deception was used)

Competence

A researcher must be qualified to confuct the study (e.g. approval from the BPS)