Issues and debates: ethics in psychological research

Psychologists want valid results, but must also protect participants. Sometimes these clash: for example, telling participants the true aim might change their behaviour, so researchers may want to deceive them.
The main ethical issues are informed consent, deception, confidentiality, right to withdraw and protection of participants.
The costs to participants should be weighed against the benefits of the research to society.

Piliavin et al (1969) (Topic 5): a field experiment on the New York subway where a person (a confederate) staged a collapse, carrying either a cane (appearing ill) or smelling of alcohol (appearing drunk). Passengers did not give informed consent, were deceived, could not withdraw, may have been distressed, and were not debriefed.
Haney, Banks and Zimbardo (1973) (Topic 5): a simulated prison with students as guards and prisoners. Participants consented, but some suffered serious distress, so protection of participants failed. Prisoners felt they could not leave, raising the right to withdraw. The study was planned for two weeks but stopped after six days.
Caspi et al (2003) (Topic 3): collected sensitive personal and genetic information over many years, so confidentiality was very important.
Sperry (1968) (Topic 4): studied patients whose brains had been surgically split to treat epilepsy. They were vulnerable patients, so researchers needed to ensure consent and protect them from harm.

1. Name the ethical issue.
2. Explain how it applies, using a specific detail from the study.
3. Where useful, explain how the researchers dealt with it (or could have), such as debriefing.
4. Balance costs against benefits: Piliavin's study helped us understand helping behaviour; Haney et al led to discussion about the treatment of prisoners and stricter ethical guidelines.