Ethics in Research

OCR

GCSE

The study of Ethics in Psychology examines the regulatory frameworks governing the conduct of research with human and non-human subjects. It focuses on the tension between the scientific imperative to generate valid knowledge (AO1/AO3) and the moral obligation to protect participants (AO3). Candidates must demonstrate understanding of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Code of Ethics and Conduct—specifically the pillars of Respect, Competence, Responsibility, and Integrity. The scope includes the historical evolution from unregulated experimentation to modern Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversight, requiring evaluation of how ethical constraints impact methodological choices and the validity of findings.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Learning Objectives

What you need to know and understand

British Psychological Society (BPS) Code of Ethics
Informed Consent (and Presumptive/Prior General Consent)
Deception (Active vs. Passive)
Protection from Harm (Physical and Psychological)
Right to Withdraw (during and after study)
Confidentiality vs. Anonymity
Debriefing (purpose and content)

Example Examiner Feedback

Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

"You correctly identified 'Deception', but you must explain *why* it was necessary in this specific design to avoid demand characteristics."
"Your solution 'stop the study' is too extreme; consider 'right to withdraw' or 'clinical supervision' as more appropriate ethical management strategies."
"Differentiate clearly between 'confidentiality' (data handling) and 'anonymity' (no names attached) to secure the AO1 marks."
"When evaluating Milgram, move beyond 'it was unethical' to discuss the cost-benefit balance and the extensive debriefing provided."

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Award marks for precise identification of BPS guidelines: Informed Consent, Deception, Protection from Harm, Right to Withdraw, Confidentiality, and Privacy.
Credit responses that explicitly link the ethical issue to the stimulus material (e.g., 'The use of a loud noise constitutes psychological harm in this specific context').
Candidates must explain valid strategies to deal with ethical issues, such as debriefing, presumptive consent, or assigning numbers to ensure anonymity.
In design questions, award marks for procedural details that operationalize ethics, such as including a 'right to withdraw' statement in the standardized instructions.

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡When the question asks how to 'deal with' an issue, provide a concrete action (e.g., 'Use a debrief to explain the true aim'), not just a definition.
💡Use the mnemonic 'Can Do Can't Do With Participants' (Consent, Deception, Confidentiality, Debriefing, Withdrawal, Protection) to recall key principles.
💡In 13-mark 'Design a Study' questions, dedicate a specific paragraph to ethical considerations to secure top-band marks.
💡Always contextualize: Do not say 'participants might be stressed'; say 'participants might be stressed by the unsolvable puzzle task'.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Confusing 'confidentiality' (protecting data) with 'anonymity' (protecting identity) or 'privacy' (right to be left alone).
Asserting that 'deception is banned' rather than explaining it requires strong justification and mandatory debriefing.
Providing generic solutions like 'ask for consent' in field experiments where prior consent would invalidate the study (ignoring presumptive consent).
Failing to distinguish between 'physical harm' and 'psychological harm' (stress, embarrassment) when evaluating risk.

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Comprehensive revision notes & examples

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Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

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Describe

Explain

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Evaluate

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