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Ethics with humans and animals

Edexcel IAL Psychology · WPS04 Clinical Psychology and Psychological Skills

Spec 9.1.16 and 9.1.17: the BPS Code of Ethics and Conduct (2009) including risk assessment; the UNCRC and participation versus protection rights when researching children; HCPC guidance; and for animals, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and Home Office regulations.

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BPS Code of Ethics and Conduct (2009)

Principle	In research
Respect	Informed consent, confidentiality, right to withdraw
Competence	Work within your expertise
Responsibility	Protection from harm, debriefing
Integrity	Honesty; deception only if justified and followed by debriefing

Risk management and children

Risk assessment: identify possible harm (physical, psychological, to the researcher), screen participants, avoid risky incentives, seek independent ethical approval.

Children: the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) gives children rights to protection (from harm and exploitation) and to participation (to have their views heard on matters affecting them). Research must balance the two: parental consent plus the child's own assent, child-friendly explanations, and the right to stop.

The component guide suggests judging Watson and Rayner (1920) against the UNCRC: Little Albert was conditioned to fear and never deconditioned, breaching protection rights.

HCPC and clinical research

Clinical practitioners and researchers must follow HCPC standards (confidentiality, manage risk, be honest, keep records, culture and diversity). Clinical participants may be vulnerable, and illness may affect capacity to consent; placebo controls may withhold help.

Animals

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 requires Home Office licences: for the establishment, the project and each person. Projects are judged by a harm-benefit analysis and must apply the 3Rs: replacement (use alternatives where possible), reduction (fewest animals) and refinement (minimise suffering).

Course examples: Pavlov's dogs and Skinner's pigeons (1948). Arguments: animal studies allow control and procedures impossible on humans, but raise questions about suffering and generalisation to humans.

Worked example

Evaluate the ethics of Rosenhan (1973) using the BPS principles.

Respect: hospital staff did not give informed consent and could not withdraw.
Integrity: deception was central to the study.
Responsibility: staff may have been embarrassed or distressed when results were published; real patients may have lost bed space.
But the study exposed problems in diagnosis that could protect future patients, which some argue justified the deception.

Answer: Apply each principle specifically, then weigh harm against benefit.

Key idea: BPS (2009): respect, competence, responsibility, integrity, plus risk assessment. UNCRC (1989): children's protection and participation rights. HCPC standards for clinicians. Animals: ASPA 1986, Home Office licences, harm-benefit, 3Rs.

Check yourself

Which BPS principle includes informed consent and the right to withdraw?
- Competence
- Integrity
- Responsibility
- Respect
Show answer
Respect. Respect covers consent, confidentiality and withdrawal.
In what year was the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted?
Show answer
1989. UNCRC 1989.
What are participation rights in the UNCRC?
- Children's rights to be paid
- Parents' rights to decide everything
- Researchers' rights to observe children
- Children's rights to have their views heard on matters affecting them
Show answer
Children's rights to have their views heard on matters affecting them. Participation means having a voice.
Which is one of the 3Rs in animal research?
- Reduction
- Replication
- Randomisation
- Reliability
Show answer
Reduction. Replacement, reduction, refinement.
In what year was the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act passed?
Show answer
1986. ASPA 1986.
Which is part of risk management in the BPS guidance?
- Screening participants and seeking independent ethical approval
- Paying large incentives
- Deceiving all participants
- Avoiding debriefing
Show answer
Screening participants and seeking independent ethical approval. Screening and approval reduce risk.
Explain how Watson and Rayner's (1920) study breaches children's protection rights under the UNCRC.
Show answer
Little Albert was deliberately conditioned to fear a rat and other objects, causing distress, and he was never deconditioned, so he was not protected from harm.. Deliberate distress without deconditioning.

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Last updated 8 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.