The ethics of psychological research

Psychological experiments are an important part of the field of psychology.

Like medical research, this research is important in improving our understanding of the human condition, and guiding better treatment practices and interventions. There are many famous psychological experiments that have changed the way we understand and treat people.

The impact of this research is often far-reaching, including areas such as education, parenting, governance and business. Over a long (and sometimes shady) history, good ethical practice has become an important consideration when designing how we do this kind of research.

This means that when deciding how to research a topic, researchers need to be careful not to harm (psychologically or physically) their participants. No matter the potential results, harm to one or a few people can never be justified.

For this reason, all psychological research has to undergo a strict proposal phase, where topics and methodologies are closely adjudicated before getting permission to continue.