Ethics and Psychology

Psychologists and other professionals working with the public need to do so in an ethical manner, psychology university students doing research must also gather data in an ethical manner, students have a duty not to cause harm to research participants; Study Coach Academic Support is here to remind students about their ethical obligation when doing research. The British Psychological Society (BPS) provides a Code of Conduct for Psychologists, and students should apply the codes when writing essays on psychology and when conducting research. 

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Question: What are some Codes of Ethics for Psychology

Answers: COMPETENCE; OBTAINING CONSENT; CONFIDENTIALITY; PERSONAL CONDUCT; INFORMED CONSENT; RIGHT TO WITHDRAW; DECEPTION; DEBRIEFING; …….and others

COMPETENCE
Psychologists shall endeavour to maintain and develop their professional competence, to recognise and work within its limits, and to identify and ameliorate factors which restricts it.

OBTAINING CONSENT
Psychologists shall normally carry out investigations or interventions only with the valid consent of participants, having taken all reasonable steps to ensure that they have adequately understood the nature of the investigation or intervention and its anticipated consequences.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Psychologists shall maintain adequate records, but they shall take all reasonable steps to preserve the confidentiality or information acquired through their professional practice or research and to protect the privacy of individuals or organisations about whom information is collected or held. In general, and subject to the requirements of law, they shall take care to prevent the identity of individuals, organisations or participants in research being revealed, deliberately or inadvertently, without their expressed permission.

PERSONAL CONDUCT
Psychologists shall conduct themselves in their professional activities in a way that does not damage the interest of the recipients of their services or participants in their research, and does not inappropriately undermine public confidence in their ability, or that of other psychologists, and members of other professions to carry out their professional duties.
TASK:
See if you can research the following codes:
a) INFORMED CONSENT
b) RIGHT TO WITHDRAW
c) DECEPTION
d) DEBRIEFING

Try to apply the ethical codes to a psychological study you have been studied, for example: Dr Money (Psychologist) and David Reimer (Brenda) – the tragic boy raised as girl story, or the case of Little Albert and John Watson (Behaviourism perspective).