Ethical Issues In Psychological Research PRESENTED BY: Medha Debnath APPLICATION NO: 1ac820aee58c11e9857d4723808534dd AFFILIATION: BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY

1. Ethical Issues In
Psychological Research
PRESENTED BY: MEDHA DEBNATH
APPLICATION NO: 1ac820aee58c11e9857d4723808534dd
AFFILIATION: BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my gratitude to the platform of SWAYAM, who gave me this
opportunity to prepare this assignment that helped me learn new things and enhance
my skills in a better and productive way.
Also, I would like to humbly thank my University, BHU for having included this digital
activity in our course as a helpful podium for learning and fostering my skills in the field
of academic writing.
 Course Name: Academic Writing
 Name: Medha Debnath
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3. ETHICS
 Ethics refers to the correct rules of conduct
necessary when carrying out research. We
have a moral responsibility to protect
research participants from harm.
 It is a philosophical term derived from Greek
word “ETHOS”, meaning character or custom.
 It is the study of proper action.
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4. ETHICS
 According to Korac-Kakabadse
“It lies in the ‘Grey Zone’ where clear cut
dichotomies between right and wrong may not
exist”.
 According to Richard William Paul and Linda
Elder
“A set of concepts and principles that guide us in
determining what behavior helps or harms
sentient creatures.”
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5. BASIC ETHICAL GUIDELINES
 In determining whether to conduct a study,
researchers must consider it’s likely benefits
and costs. Weighing the pros and cons of a
study is called, “Cost-Benefit Analysis”.
 Potential Benefits:
 Basic Knowledge
 Improvement of research or assessment
techniques.
 Practical outcomes
 Benefits for researchers
 Benefits for research participants.
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6. ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH
 American Psychological Association (APA)
Guidelines:
 The researcher is obligated to protect
participants from physical or psychological
harm
 Psychological harm – participants may feel
increased anxiety, anger, lower self-esteem
especially in situations where they feel that
they have been cheated or insulted
 Participants must be informed of any justified
potential risks.
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7. ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH
 The British Psychological Society (BPS) and
American Psychological Association (APA)
have both issued a code of ethics in psychology
that provides guidelines for the conduct of
research. Some of the more important ethical
issues are as follows:
 Informed Consent
Whenever possible, investigators must obtain the
consent of participants.
Before the study begins the researcher must
outline to the participants what the research is
about, and then ask their consent.
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8. ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH
 Debrief
The participants must be given a general idea of what the
researcher was investigating and why, and their part in
the research should be explained.
Participants must be told if they have been deceived and
given reasons why.
Debriefing should take place as soon as possible and be
as full as possible
“The purpose of debriefing is to remove any
misconceptions and anxieties that the participants have
about the research and to leave them with a sense of
dignity, knowledge, and a perception of time not wasted”
- (Harris, 1998).
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9. ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH
 Protection of Participants
Researchers must ensure that those taking part in
research will not be caused distress.
They must be protected from physical and mental harm.
The researcher must also ensure that if vulnerable groups
are to be used (elderly, disabled, children, etc.), they
must receive special care.
 Deception
In deception participants are misled or wrongly informed
about the aims of the research.
Types of deception:
 deliberate misleading
 deception by omission
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10. ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH
 Confidentiality
Participants, and the data gained from them must be kept
anonymous unless they give their full consent.
No names must be used in a research report.
Ultimately, decisions to disclose information will have to
be set in the context of the aims of the research.
 Coercion to Participate
It occurs when participants agree to participate because
of real or implied pressure from some individual who has
authority or influence over them.
Furthermore, researchers cannot offer excessive or
inappropriate financial or other inducements to obtain
research participants.
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11. ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH
 Withdrawal from an Investigation
Participants should be able to leave a study at any time if
they feel uncomfortable. They should also be allowed to
withdraw their data.
They should be told at the start of the study that they
have the right to withdraw.
They should not have pressure placed upon them to
continue if they do not want to.
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12. REFERENCE
 American Psychological Association. (2002). American Psychological Association ethical principles of
psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html
 Harris, B. (1988). Key words: A history of debriefing in social psychology. In J. Morawski (Ed.), The
rise of experimentation in American psychology (pp. 188-212). New York: Oxford University Press.
 Rosenthal, R., & Rosnow, R. L. (1984). Applying Hamlet's question to the ethical conduct of research:
A conceptual addendum. American Psychologist, 39(5), 561.
 The British Psychological Society. (2010). Code of Human Research Ethics. Retrieved from
www.bps.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/code_of_human_research_ethics.pdf
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