Exam style question

Define what is meant by egocentrism. [2 marks]

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Define what is meant by 'egocentrism' [2 marks]

1. Egocentrism is when children cannot see points of view that are not their own.
2. Children are egocentric until they are in the concrete operational stage.�OR�For example, a child may give a toy to their parent thinking it will make the parent happy because toys make them happy.

Ethics in experiments

Ethics

• Rules of conduct (rules about how to do things)
• That are morally correct (the right thing to do)

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What do you remember about ethics?

Ethics

1. Electrocute a participant
2. Filming someone without their permission
3. Forcing someone to do something even if they change their mind
4. Asking very personal or sensitive questions
5. Giving out someone’s personal details (eg. where they live) without their permission.
6. Lying to someone
7. Doctor does not tell you the results of critical health check

Why are each of these things wrong?

In research

• Electrocute a participant
• Protection of Participants
• Avoid unnecessary distress
• Minimize physical and emotional harm at all costs
• No giving untested/ dangerous/ illegal drugs “just to see what happens”.
• How would you study the effects of illegal drugs on students grades?

In research

• Filming someone without their permission
• Informed Consent
• Participants must be TOLD about the research and AGREE to it

In research

• Forcing someone to do something even if they change their mind
• Right to Withdraw
• Participants must be told their right to stop participating at any time.

In research

• Asking very personal or sensitive questions
• Or observing them in private situations
• Privacy
• May cause psychological distress (fail to protect participants)
• Lack of informed consent

In research

• Giving out someone’s personal details (eg. where they live)
• Confidentiality
• Keep participants’ personal information and data safe from others
• Passwords, lock & key, etc.

What is the difference between confidentiality and privacy?

What is the difference between confidentiality and privacy?

Privacy = Respecting participants’ wish not to answer something. Not taking information they don’t want to share.

Confidentiality = Keeping safe participant’s information that they already gave you.

In research

• Lying to someone
• Deception
• But sometimes we must deceive participants to see genuine behaviour.

In research

• Doctor does not tell you the results of a critical health check
• Debrief
• Tell participants the truth about the research after the experiment
• Especially after deception

GCSE �BPS Code of Ethics (2014)�https://www.bps.org.uk/sites/www.bps.org.uk/files/Policy/Policy%20-%20Files/BPS%20Code%20of%20Human%20Research%20Ethics.pdf

1. Respect for the autonomy, privacy and dignity of individuals and community.
1. Researchers have a moral duty of care to respect all participants, take informed consent and give them the right to withdraw.
2. Scientific Integrity
• Duty to conduct well-designed research. No misleading findings.
3. Social responsibility
• Findings should be beneficial to society and participants
4. Maximising benefit and minimising harm
• Proper cost-benefit analysis.

A Levels�BPS Code of Ethics (2009)�https://www.tutor2u.net/psychology/reference/ethics-and-psychology

• Consent: have participants given informed consent? If the participant is under 16 years old, has informed consent been given by their parents or carers?
• Deception: have the participants been deceived in any way? If so, could this have been avoided?
• Debriefing: have the participants been debriefed? Have they been given the opportunity to ask questions?
• Withdrawal from the investigation: have the participants been informed of their right to withdraw from the research at any point, including the right to withdraw their data at a later date?
• Anonymity and Confidentiality: participants have a right to remain anonymous in publication of the research and confidentiality should be maintained except in exceptional circumstances where harm may arise to the participant or someone associated with the research or participant.
• Protection of participants: researcher must protect participants from both physical and psychological harm