The code of ethics goes back since the Hippocratic code 2.500 years ago. The aim of the code is to provide ethical standards and to guide the psychologists to make ethical decisions. The first American psychological association (APA), ethics code was published in 1953, and was adopted by other countries. The British psychological society (BPS) published its first code of ethics in 1983. Later on, globalization created the need for international ethical standards and shared principles (Allan & Love, 2010). There are four main ethical principles mentioned in the BPS code of ethics and conduct: respect, competence, responsibility and integrity. Those are complemented with the principles of the BPS code of human research ethics (2014), which are:
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The subjects coming from the psychology undergraduate student pool can’t be considered to be representative of the extended population. One element of ethical issues involving the use of human subjects, specifically psychology students, is the coercion of people to participate in a research. According to Leak, (1981) the unequal student-teacher power relationship doesn’t leave room for free consent, and although students view research experience positively, they recognize the existence of coercion even if they do not object it. Clark and McCann (2005) have also stressed the ethical problems being raised by the use of students to participate in researches that the researchers are their potential …show more content…
As it was indicated by the above mentioned research findings, as well as by the ethical principles included in the BPS code of human research ethics in connection with the BPS and APS code of ethics, students shouldn’t be made to participate in psychological studies. However, as it was indicated by relevant evidence, it is for the students’ best interest academically if there are opportunities offered by the Universities for students’ participation in research voluntarily. Students who had the chance to participate in research experiments voluntarily during their undergraduate years reported that they perceived these experiences very positively and that they had great academic value. Nevertheless, the students’ participation in studies shouldn’t be coerced in any way. Additionally, there should be great care to avoid ethical implications raised by potential dual relationships formed between teachers/researchers with their students. In such a case, there should be an effort from the teacher/researcher to follow ethical principles in order to act towards the students’ best interest and to try to minimize any harm caused to the students by their
The subjects coming from the psychology undergraduate student pool can’t be considered to be representative of the extended population. One element of ethical issues involving the use of human subjects, specifically psychology students, is the coercion of people to participate in a research. According to Leak, (1981) the unequal student-teacher power relationship doesn’t leave room for free consent, and although students view research experience positively, they recognize the existence of coercion even if they do not object it. Clark and McCann (2005) have also stressed the ethical problems being raised by the use of students to participate in researches that the researchers are their potential …show more content…
As it was indicated by the above mentioned research findings, as well as by the ethical principles included in the BPS code of human research ethics in connection with the BPS and APS code of ethics, students shouldn’t be made to participate in psychological studies. However, as it was indicated by relevant evidence, it is for the students’ best interest academically if there are opportunities offered by the Universities for students’ participation in research voluntarily. Students who had the chance to participate in research experiments voluntarily during their undergraduate years reported that they perceived these experiences very positively and that they had great academic value. Nevertheless, the students’ participation in studies shouldn’t be coerced in any way. Additionally, there should be great care to avoid ethical implications raised by potential dual relationships formed between teachers/researchers with their students. In such a case, there should be an effort from the teacher/researcher to follow ethical principles in order to act towards the students’ best interest and to try to minimize any harm caused to the students by their