Ethical Considerations

Question 1

Informed consent

Answer 1

Participation in a study must be coluntary and particpants must fully understand their involvement including the aims of the study, what tasks they will exbosed to and how the data will be used. If the participant is a minor, consent must be obtained from parents.

Question 2

Protection from harm

Answer 2

At all times during the study participants must be protected from physical and mental harm. This includes potential negative-longterm consequences.

Question 3

Anonymity and confidentiality

Answer 3

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they refer to slightly different things. Participation in a research study is confidential if there is someone ( for example a researcher) who can connect the results of a study to the identity of a particular participant, but the terms of the agreement prevent this person from sharing the data with anyone. So, participants provide personal data, but the data stays confidential under the research agreement.

Participation in a study is anonymous if no one can trace the results back to a participant’s identity because no personal details were provided. An example of anonymity would be to fill out an online survey without providing your name.

Question 4

Deception

Answer 4

In many cases thte true aims of the study cannot be revealed to the participants because it would change the behavior of the participants. So a degree of deception needs to be used.

Question 5

Debriefing

Answer 5

After the study, participants must be fully informed about its nature, its true aims, how the data will be used and stored. They must be given the opportunity to review their results and withdraw the data if they want to. If deception was used, it must be revealed.