Ethics and Risk

1
Ethics and Risk

• Dr Sal Watt
• Psychology and Criminology Department

2
Taking Risks

• Risk to who
• Researcher
• Time
• Place
• Physical safety
• Risk from who/what.
• Researched
• Early tradition of exploiting / patronising
  participants

3
Early Experimentation

• Stanley Milgram 1961-62
• Aftermath - Holocaust
• Conducted experiments Conformity/Obedience
• 65 of participants shocked
• Highly Unethical

4
Participant Observation

• Early study conducted by Humphreys 1975
• Mens toilets
• Observer-participant i.e. peripheral member of
  those being studied
• Male homosexuals
• Tea Room Trade - Watch Queen
• Tracked down over 100 participants - 54 were
  married
• Immense ethical issues and considerations with
  both Milgrams and Humphreys study
• Recording data tally, audio/visual recording,
  field notes

5
Ethical Guidelines

• Introduced to provide clarity for researcher
• Universal practices / professional code of
  conduct
• Protect the physical / psychological well being
  of participants
• Inevitably that includes their social identity
• Disciplines regulatory body that oversees and
  constantly review / update ethical guidelines
• Social Science
• British Psychological Society
• British Sociological Association
• Liverpool Hope University, Psychology and
  Criminology Dept Ethics Committee ensures the
  integrity of research

6
Sensitivity to Research Topics

• Research question and questions that will be
  posed
• Ensure the researcher has undertaken a full
  literature review of the selected area
  competent
• Is it a socially / politically sensitive area?
• Does the researcher have the necessary experience
  and skills to conduct the research e.g. interview
  skills
• Why has the researcher selected the topic is it
  a personal cathartic journey .. Bias
• Smash n Grab research

7
Personal Conduct

• Ensure professional and appropriate conduct -
  Improper conduct can be detrimental to the
  participants
• Must not accept material gain
• Must not exploit the relationship of influence or
  trust participants / colleagues
• General standards
• Ensure that credit for work is genuinely owned by
  the researcher
• Value evidence collected
• Ensure all equipment and physical locations safe

8
Deception

• Must not withhold information / misleading
• Means end justification serious ethical
  consideration
• If means/end - Qs that must be considered
• Can the research be conducted in a different way
• Participants given sufficient info
• Consult / consider the effects of withholding
  information
• Debrief !!

9
Protecting Identity

• Participants must
• Give fully informed consent
• Must have a record of this
• Participants have right to decline and must not
  be coerced
• Right to decline specific questions in an
  interview
• Confidentiality
• Data must be kept securely
• Anonymity
• Pseudonym for participant
• Places, organisations etc must be anonymised
• Fully debriefed
• Right and opportunity to withdraw their data
• Right to see study findings summarised version
• Right to be respected

10
Protection from Harm

• Risk Assessment
• Health implications
• Rights around withdrawing data at a later point ?
  
• how to do this ?
• No Research should cause physical / psychological
  harm
• Milgram (1963)
• 1 long term damage
• Means end justification?

11
References

• Codes of Conduct determined by Professional
  Bodies
• www.bps.org.uk
• www.britsoc.co.uk
• Bryman, A. (2004) Social Research Methods, 2nd
  Edition. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
• Neuman, W.L. (2006) Social Research Methods 6th
  Edition. London Pearson.
• http//hopelive.hope.ac.uk/psychology/LevelH/disse
  rtation/procedure.htm