The Ethics of Deception: A Psychological Research Perspective

This essay critically examines the ethical acceptability of deception in psychological research. It begins by defining deception and its various forms, highlighting its historical use in acquiring information from research participants. The essay then delves into the arguments against deception, emphasizing the potential for psychological and emotional harm to participants, as well as violations of ethical codes of conduct. The essay discusses the ethical standards that discourage deception, and the importance of informed consent. The essay concludes that deception is generally unacceptable in psychological research, except in specific circumstances where the potential benefits outweigh the risks and where alternatives are not viable, emphasizing the need for researchers to prioritize the well-being and rights of human subjects. The essay cites multiple sources to support its claims.

DESIGN AND
METHODOLOGY ESSAY

3. Deception is acceptable in psychological research
The act of deceiving and propagating a belief that is not true is termed as deception. From
decades, psychologists implemented deception techniques in order to acquire information about
the truth from certain persons. In accordance with this context, the following essay will answer
whether the deception techniques used by the psychological research is acceptable or not.
Further, ethical standards and code of conducts will be discussed that will assist in justifying that
whether deception used by psychologists are acceptable or not.
Psychologists said that use of deception is completely unacceptable in research as it can
psychologically or physically harm the sentiments and emotions of participants (Granhag, Vrij
and Verschuere, 2015). From many decades, psychologists and researchers implemented
deception strategy in order to acquire the information from subject or person they researching on.
Deception technique assists the psychologists to acquire right and correct information by asking
ambiguous questions to their subjects which increases confusion in them. Deception includes
several types of communications or omissions that serve to distort or omit the complete truth
(Baughman, Lyons and Vernon, 2014). There are several types of deception methods
implemented by the psychologists in order to acquire information from the human beings
effectively and efficiently. The methods and types of deceptions are concealments, lies,
understatements, exaggerations and equivocations (Boush, Friestad and Wright, 2015). These
methods assist the psychologists and researcher to investigate the human participants efficiently.
But the side effects of these methods can be disastrous and dangerous. It can create
psychological strain on human beings and they feel emotionally low and became infuriated.
Further, in order to increase the effectiveness in the psychological study, researchers
implement deception and theatrical techniques so that they can acquire the information from the
subject they are examining (Jonason, Baughman and Vernon, 2014). Deception and its detection
is a complex, fluid and cognitive process that is based on the context of message exchange. The
interpersonal deception theory contends that psychologists usses deception in order to misguide
the participant and can obtain the information effectively and efficiently. The ethical standards
and code of conducts of psychology mandates that researchers must not implement deception
techniques and methods on the participants until and unless it is necessary. It will not only harm
the psychology of human beings but also leads to conflicts and violence (Burgoon, Moffitt and
Spitzley 2016). Thus, it is not acceptable to implement deception on the human beings and
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human subjects. It is one of the most debatable ethical issue in the research and psychology
(Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). Many researchers and psychologists contend that use of
deception in order to carry out research is unethical and can harm the psychology of human
beings. Further, they stated that one must use the deception on elderly people and children as it
can create a big issue which can harm the emotions and psychology greatly. Thus, according to
code of ethics of psychology, researchers should not use deception methods in order to acquire
certain information from the human beings. This implies that in order to carry out research,
psychologists must not use deception methodologies (Sternglanz, Makiyil and O’Dowd, 2014).
There are many drawbacks and limitations on the participants participating in the research. The
chances of being infuriated and angry always remain high, if psychologists deceive them.
Further, there is always risk of violence and conflicts between the participants and researcher.
Many surveys, observational studies and laboratory experiments concluded that deception
leads to increase in infuriation among the participants and also impacts on their mental as well as
physical health. Researchers must prevent use of deception as much as possible so that human
rights and ethics cannot be violated effectively and efficiently (Research ethics: Deception,
2017). Misleading others in order to generate self-benefit is not ethical (Roos af Hjelmsäter,
Granhag and Vrij, 2014). In order to prevent the human rights, psychologies must not mislead or
confuse anyone. This will not only increase the effectiveness in their research, but also increase
the morale and relationship between researchers and human beings. According to ethical
guidelines, researcher can only use deception on the participants, if he or she has informed the
aim and objectives of research to the participants. This will minimise the chances of conflicts and
also reduced the infuriation in human beings. Further, it is mandatory to inform the consent
about the nature and characteristic of the research study. This will avoid the negative
consequences between the psychologists and the participants effectively and efficiently (Smith,
Mackie and Claypool, 2014). Deception is an art of deceiving someone just in order to fulfil their
greed and motives. Researchers in their research sometimes deceive the human subjects so that
they can acquire the information efficiently. But deception can harm the psychology and
mentality of human beings and leads to conflicts and infuriation.
Thus, from the above essay, it can be concluded that psychologists must not implement
deception design and methodologies in their investigation and examination with human
participants. It not only harms the psychology of human participants but also leads to conflicts
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and violence with them. Thus, it is not acceptable for the researchers and psychologists to use
deception in order to acquire information from the human participants. Overall, it should be
understood that deception should only be allowed on specific and scientific research which
possesses some social value and by taking permission or informing participants about the
research study. Hence, psychologists must not use deception in their research on human
participants to conduct the research in an ethical and effective manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baughman, H. M., Lyons, M., & Vernon, P. A. (2014). Liar liar pants on fire: Cheater strategies
linked to the Dark Triad. Personality and Individual Differences, 71, 35-38.
Boush, D. M., Friestad, M., & Wright, P. (2015). Deception in the marketplace: The psychology
of deceptive persuasion and consumer self-protection. Routledge.
Burgoon, J., Moffitt, K., & Spitzley, L. (2016). Which spoken language markers identify
deception in high-stakes settings? Evidence from earnings conference calls. Journal of
Language and Social Psychology, 35(2), 123-157.
Granhag, P. A., Vrij, A., & Verschuere, B. (Eds.). (2015). Detecting deception: current
challenges and cognitive approaches. John Wiley & Sons.
Jonason, P. K., Baughman, H. M., & Vernon, P. A. (2014). What a tangled web we weave: The
Dark Triad traits and deception. Personality and Individual Differences, 70, 117-119.
Roos af Hjelmsäter, E., Granhag, P. A., & Vrij, A. (2014). ‘Mapping’deception in adolescents:
Eliciting cues to deceit through an unanticipated spatial drawing task. Legal and
Criminological Psychology, 19(1), 179-188.
Seligman, M. E., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014). Positive psychology: An introduction. In Flow
and the foundations of positive psychology (pp. 279-298). Springer Netherlands.
Smith, E. R., Mackie, D. M., & Claypool, H. M. (2014). Social psychology. Psychology Press.
Sternglanz, R. W., Makiyil, J., & O’Dowd, B. (2014). Can People Detect Deception from Thin
Slice Communications?. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 1429-1439.
Online
Research ethics: Deception. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<http://psc.dss.ucdavis.edu/sommerb/sommerdemo/ethics/deception.htm>. [Accessed on
14th November 2017].
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