Ethical principles in psychosocial research

Research in social psychology, like any scientific discipline that involves human participants, must be governed by a strict set of ethical principles.

These principles are fundamental to guaranteeing the protection, well-being, dignity, and rights of the people who collaborate in the studies, and they guide all stages of the research process.

Informed and Voluntary Consent

One of the most important ethical pillars is obtaining informed consent.

Before an individual agrees to participate in research, they must receive clear, complete, and understandable information about the nature of the study, the procedures that will be followed, the possible risks and benefits of their participation, and, crucially, their right to withdraw from the study at any time without suffering any penalties or negative consequences.

This consent must be given voluntarily, free from any type of coercion or undue pressure.

In the case of participants who cannot legally give consent (such as minors or people with certain cognitive disabilities), consent must be obtained from their legal representatives.

Risk Minimization and Protection from Harm

Researchers have a primary obligation to protect participants from potential harm, whether physical or psychological.

This involves designing studies to minimize risks and not to exceed those that might be encountered in everyday life.

If a study involves any level of stress or discomfort (for example, the induction of mild negative emotion or exposure to sensitive material), all necessary precautions must be taken to mitigate these effects.

Furthermore, the potential benefits of the research (to science or society) must clearly justify any minimal risks taken.

Confidentiality, Anonymity, and Privacy

The privacy of participants must be respected at all times. The confidentiality of personal information and data collected during the study must be guaranteed.

Whenever possible, the anonymity of participants should be ensured so that their responses or behaviors cannot be linked to their individual identities.

This protection is essential to foster candor and trust in the research process.

Justified Use of Deception and Debriefing

In some social psychological research, it may be methodologically necessary to use a certain degree of deception,temporarily concealing the true purpose of the study to prevent participants' prior knowledge from influencing their natural behavior.

However, the use of deception must be strictly justified by the scientific value of the study, must not entail significant risks, and, crucially, must be followed by a full information session or "debriefing."

The debriefing is carried out at the end of participation in the study. In this session, participants are told the true purpose of the research, any deception used is explained, and any questions they may have are addressed.

They are also given the opportunity to express their feelings about the experience and are provided with support or resources if needed.

Ethics Review and Approval

Most academic institutions and research centers have Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) or independent ethics committees.

These committees are responsible for evaluating all research proposals involving human subjects to ensure that they meet established ethical standards before they can begin.

This external oversight is a key mechanism for ensuring the protection of participants.