Ethical guidelines (human and animal)

Introduction to Ethical Guidelines

Welcome to one of the most important chapters in Psychology! Ethics is all about the "rules of conduct" or the moral compass that psychologists must follow when carrying out research. In simple terms, it is about making sure that no person (or animal) is mistreated in the name of science.

Think of ethical guidelines like the "rules of the road." Just as traffic lights keep drivers safe, ethical guidelines keep participants safe. If a study is ethical, it means the researcher has respected the rights and well-being of those involved. This chapter is part of your Methodological concepts, and you will see these terms pop up every time you look at a core study!

Note: For more on how to use these in your exam answers, see our related chapters on "Validity and reliability" and "Sampling of participants."

Section 1: Ethical Guidelines for Human Participants

When psychologists work with people, they must follow specific rules to protect them. Don't worry if these terms seem formal; they are quite logical once you break them down.

1. Minimising Harm and Maximising Benefit

The golden rule of psychology is that participants should leave the study in the same physical and mental state they arrived in. Researchers must minimise harm (avoiding pain, stress, or embarrassment) and maximise benefit (ensuring the research actually helps society or the individual).

2. Valid Consent (including Informed Consent)

Informed consent means the participant knows exactly what is going to happen in the study and agrees to take part. It isn't enough to just say "yes"—they need to know the aims and procedure before they decide.
Common Mistake: Students often think "consent" is just a signature. In Psychology, it must be informed; the participant shouldn't be kept in the dark about the main parts of the study.

3. Right to Withdraw

A participant should never feel "trapped." They have the right to withdraw at any time. This means they can stop the experiment and leave, and they can also ask for their data to be deleted even after the study has finished. They should never be pressured to stay.

4. Deception

Lack of deception is the goal. Deception happens when researchers lie to participants or hide the true aim of the study. While some studies (like Milgram’s obedience study) use deception to get natural behavior, it should be avoided whenever possible. If a researcher must lie, they have to justify it and fix it during the debriefing.

5. Confidentiality

This is about data. A participant’s results and personal details must be kept confidential. Researchers usually use numbers or initials instead of names (e.g., "Participant 4" or "P.S.") so that nobody reading the study can identify who the person is.

6. Privacy

While confidentiality is about data, privacy is about the person’s physical and emotional boundaries. Researchers should not observe people in private places (like their homes) or ask questions that are too personal without warning.
Analogy: Confidentiality is like your doctor keeping your medical records in a locked cabinet. Privacy is the doctor closing the curtain while they examine you.

7. Debriefing

At the end of a study, the researcher must provide a debriefing. This is a conversation where the researcher explains the true aim, answers questions, and ensures the participant is feeling okay before they leave. This is especially important if any deception was used.

Quick Review: Human Ethics Takeaway

To remember these, think of the phrase: "Can Do Can't Withhold During Research" (Consent, Deception, Confidentiality, Withdrawal, Debriefing, Risk/Harm).

Section 2: Ethical Guidelines for Animal Research

Sometimes, psychologists study animals (like in the Hassett et al. monkey toy study or Fagen et al. elephant learning study). Since animals cannot give consent, we have special rules to protect them.

1. Minimising Harm

Just like with humans, researchers must avoid causing pain, suffering, or distress to animals. Any procedure that might cause pain must be justified by the potential benefits of the research.

2. Replacement

Researchers should always ask: "Can I do this study without animals?" Replacement means using alternatives like computer models or video footage instead of live animals whenever possible.

3. Species

Researchers must choose the species that is least likely to suffer. For example, if you can get the same results using a fruit fly instead of a monkey, you should use the fly. You should also consider whether the animal was bred in a lab or captured from the wild (wild-caught animals are usually more stressed).

4. Numbers

The goal is to use the minimum number of animals necessary to get reliable results. If \(10\) animals are enough to prove a point, using \(100\) would be unethical.
Formula for success: Use just enough \(N\) (number of participants) to make the study reliable, but not one more than needed.

5. Housing and Care

Animals must be kept in clean, appropriate housing. This includes having enough space, the right temperature, and social companionship for species that are social (like monkeys).

6. Reward, Deprivation, and Aversive Stimuli

Researchers often use food as a reward to train animals. However, they must be careful with deprivation (making an animal hungry or thirsty so it will work for food). Aversive stimuli (things the animal dislikes, like a loud noise or a mild puff of air) should be used as little as possible.

Quick Review: Animal Ethics Takeaway

Focus on the "Three Rs": Replace (use something else), Reduce (use fewer animals), and Refine (minimise harm in the procedures).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing Privacy and Confidentiality: Remember, Privacy is about the "space" (don't spy on people), while Confidentiality is about the "secret" (don't share their names or data).

2. Thinking Ethics is a "Yes/No" Choice: In the exam, don't just say a study was "unethical." Instead, say it "broke the guideline of informed consent" or "maintained confidentiality by using numbers instead of names." Be specific!

3. Forgetting Debriefing: Many students forget that debriefing is a mandatory part of the ethical process, especially if the participants were lied to (deception).

Key Takeaways for the Exam

• Human ethics focus on respect, consent, and protection from mental or physical harm.
• Animal ethics focus on minimizing suffering, using fewer animals, and providing proper care.
• In Paper 1, you will often be asked to evaluate the ethics of a core study.
• In Paper 2 and Paper 4, when you plan your own study, you must explain how you will keep your participants safe using these specific terms.