Ethical Issues in Psychology
Ethical issues in psychology tests ethical reasoning in complex scenarios, not just recitation of principles. Expect questions on consent, confidentiality, competence, deception, power, cultural safety, and research ethics. Strong answers identify the competing obligations and justify a proportionate response.
Core rules
- The New Zealand code of ethics is organised around respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, responsible caring, integrity in relationships, and responsibility to society. These principles can conflict; reason explicitly about how you weigh them.
- Informed consent requires capacity, voluntariness, adequate information, and ongoing consent. For minors, seek caregiver consent and young person assent where appropriate.
- Confidentiality is not absolute. Limits include serious risk of harm, legal requirements, and supervision. Disclose only the minimum necessary and explain limits early.
- Competence means working within scope, seeking supervision, and managing dual relationships and conflicts of interest.
- Deception requires justification, no feasible alternative, ethics approval, and thorough debriefing.
- Research ethics includes ethics committee approval, secure data storage, anonymisation, right to withdraw, and cultural consultation. In Aotearoa New Zealand, consider Māori data sovereignty and community protocols.
Worked example
A researcher wants to interview Pacific youth about mental health at school. A teacher offers to select students and the school offers vouchers. Risks include coercion and power imbalance. Better practice uses independent recruitment, clear information, caregiver consent plus youth assent, community consultation, and support pathways. In a small community, anonymity may be impossible, so the researcher should not overpromise confidentiality; instead, explain limits and store data securely.
Traps
Do not equate confidentiality with anonymity. Do not assume caregiver consent removes the need for assent. Avoid ignoring power imbalances or overpromising secrecy. Do not treat ethics as a checklist completed before data collection.