Ethical Issues & Guidelines

Question 1

● What is deception in research?

Answer 1

Not telling participants the true aim of the study

Question 2

● What is informed consent?

Answer 2

Participants agreeing to take part with full knowledge of the study

Question 3

● What is protection from harm?

Answer 3

Ensuring participants are not physically or psychologically harmed

Question 4

● What is confidentiality?

Answer 4

Keeping participant data anonymous and private

Question 5

● What does the BPS stand for?

Answer 5

British Psychological Society

Question 6

● What is right to withdraw?

Answer 6

Participants can leave the study or remove their data at any time

Question 7

● What is a debrief?

Answer 7

Informing participants of the study’s true purpose after it ends

Question 8

● What is presumptive consent?

Answer 8

Getting consent from similar individuals not in the study

Question 9

● What is prior informed consent?

Answer 9

Gaining general consent for a range of procedures

Question 10

● What is parental consent?

Answer 10

Consent given by a parent for under 16s

Question 11

● What is retrospective consent?

Answer 11

Consent gained after the study, during debrief

Question 12

● What is the main role of ethical guidelines?

Answer 12

To protect participants from harm

Question 13

● What is the purpose of using fake names?

Answer 13

To protect confidentiality

Question 14

● What are pseudo names?

Answer 14

Fake names used to maintain anonymity

Question 15

● Why is deception sometimes used?

Answer 15

To reduce demand characteristics

Question 16

● What should follow deception in research?

Answer 16

A debrief

Question 17

● What does the ethical issue of protection relate to?

Answer 17

Physical and psychological safety

Question 18

● Why do researchers offer counselling after studies?

Answer 18

To support participants if distressed

Question 19

● What is one way to maintain confidentiality?

Answer 19

Use of numbers or initials instead of names

Question 20

● When can a researcher use deception ethically?

Answer 20

When followed by a thorough debrief

Question 21

▲ Why is it important to debrief participants?

Answer 21

To explain the true aims and offer withdrawal of data

Question 22

▲ How does deception affect participants?

Answer 22

They may feel misled or distressed

Question 23

▲ How can informed consent be gained in children?

Answer 23

Parental consent is required

Question 24

▲ Why is confidentiality important?

Answer 24

To protect privacy and follow legal guidelines

Question 25

▲ What happens if participants are not fully informed?

Answer 25

They cannot give valid consent

Question 26

▲ Why might a researcher not gain informed consent in advance?

Answer 26

To avoid demand characteristics

Question 27

▲ What is one risk of not offering right to withdraw?

Answer 27

Participants may feel trapped or distressed

Question 28

▲ How can researchers deal with potential harm?

Answer 28

Provide support and counselling

Question 29

▲ Why might confidentiality be broken?

Answer 29

If participant safety is at risk

Question 30

▲ How does debriefing address ethical concerns?

Answer 30

It informs and reassures participants after the study

Question 31

▲ Why is presumptive consent not fully ethical?

Answer 31

The actual participant hasn’t given consent

Question 32

▲ When might prior informed consent be used?

Answer 32

In studies with unpredictable events

Question 33

▲ What ethical principle does counselling support?

Answer 33

Protection from harm

Question 34

▲ What ethical issue arises from using video recording without telling participants?

Answer 34

Deception and lack of consent

Question 35

▲ What ethical guideline is addressed by letting participants withdraw data?

Answer 35

Right to withdraw

Question 36

✪ Why is deception a controversial ethical issue?

Answer 36

It involves misleading participants, which may affect trust and well-being

Question 37

✪ How can debriefing reduce the ethical impact of deception?

Answer 37

It ensures participants are fully informed and can withdraw data

Question 38

✪ Why might informed consent reduce internal validity?

Answer 38

Participants may change behaviour if they know the true aim

Question 39

✪ How does confidentiality support ethical practice in research?

Answer 39

It protects personal data and encourages honesty

Question 40

✪ Why is right to withdraw important for ethical research?

Answer 40

It allows participants control and protects autonomy

Question 41

✪ How might lack of protection affect the credibility of research?

Answer 41

It may cause harm and discourage future participation

Question 42

✪ Why is presumptive consent insufficient on its own?

Answer 42

It assumes consent rather than gaining it directly from participants

Question 43

✪ How do ethical issues affect the replicability of research?

Answer 43

Studies may be restricted or altered to meet ethical standards

Question 44

✪ Why must debriefing include the right to withdraw data?

Answer 44

To respect autonomy after learning the study’s true aim

Question 45

✪ How does ethical research increase participant trust?

Answer 45

It shows respect for rights, safety, and privacy