Psychology Research Ethics
All studies and experiments conducted in (human) psychology first must obtain ethical approval in order to protect participants' interests and to maintain academic standards. The Psychology Research Ethics Committee (PREC) is responsible for ensuring that all research carried out in psychology’s name has been subjected to the necessary ethical review. The PREC is composed of 10-12 members of the unit, with their areas of expertise spanning the diverse sub-fields of psychology. Occasionally, the committee will call upon outside individuals if their expertise would help in the review of a particular proposal.
The Ethical Review Process
All applicants to the PREC must complete and submit this electronic application form (access to EASE is required). If your research involves non-human animals or has already been approved by the NHS, see "Other forms of review" below. The Example Participant Information Sheet and Informed Consent Form may help you in putting your application materials together (note: the example documents represent ideals; perfect compliance is not a requirement for ethical approval, though it might speed things along).
If you need technical assistance with the application form, please contact Mr Cedric MacMartin. For questions about the status of an application, contact Ms Lynsey Buchanan. For substantive (ethics-related) questions, please refer to the Ethics FAQ and the relevant ethics guidelines before contacting the committee's convenor, Dr Alison Lenton.
All applications will be reviewed by at least one relevant member of the PREC (of course, PREC members may not review any application with which they are associated). Applications requiring the review of at least two committee members involve any of the following (extracted from the ESRC's Research Ethics Framework):
- research involving vulnerable groups – for example, children and young people, those with a learning disability or cognitive impairment, or individuals in a dependent or unequal relationship
- research involving sensitive topics – for example participants’ sexual behaviour, their illegal or political behaviour, their experience of violence, their abuse or exploitation, their mental health, or their gender or ethnic status
- research involving groups where permission of a gatekeeper is normally required for initial access to members – for example, ethnic or cultural groups, native peoples or indigenous communities
- research involving deception or which is conducted without participants’ (or participants' legal guardians') full and informed consent at the time the study is carried out
- research involving access to records of personal or confidential information, including genetic or other biological information, concerning identifiable individuals
- research which would induce psychological stress, anxiety or humiliation or cause more than minimal pain
- research involving intrusive interventions – for example, the administration of drugs or other substances, vigorous physical exercise, or techniques such as hypnotherapy.
Other forms of review
Non-human animal research
The PREC does not provide ethical review of non-human animal research as such. What we do require is that all students and staff conducting any animal-related research read, complete, submit and comply with this Ethical review of Psych projects involving animals_Decision Tree form (Revised Sep 2010). This form (and accompanying materials, as necessary) must be submitted to Lynsey Buchanan, both electronically and in signed hard copy to the Postgraduate Office (Room 1.06, Dugald Stewart Building).
NHS-approved projects
Psychological studies involving human participants must be subjected to an ethical approval process in order to protect people – participants and researchers – from harm, as well as to maintain professional standards. The University of Edinburgh’s PREC recognises, however, the burden placed on researchers who wish to conduct studies under the auspices of the NHS, as the National Research Ethics Service (NRES) maintains its own mandatory and extremely comprehensive research ethics application procedure. Thus, to require such researchers to fill out and submit another form for the PREC has been deemed redundant and unnecessary. Instead, following the obtainment of research approval from the NHS, we require that researchers apprise the PREC of the nature of the research and submit copies of the NRES-approved application and the approval certificate before they may proceed with their research. To do so, researchers must complete, submit and comply with this Ethical review of NHS approved Projects_Self Certification form (revised Sept 2010). This form (and accompanying materials, as necessary) must be submitted to Lynsey Buchanan, both electronically and in signed hard copy to the Postgraduate Office (Room 1.06, Dugald Stewart Building).
Policies and guidelines
In carrying out this review process, the PREC are informed by numerous ethical policies and guidelines (all applicants should familiarise themselves with University policy and the relevant BPS documents at a minimum):
University of Edinburgh College of Humanities and Social Science (CHSS)
The British Psychological Society (BPS)
- BPS Code of Ethics and Conduct
- BPS Code of Human Research Ethics
- BPS Guidelines for Conducting Research on the Internet
- BPS Guidelines for Conducting Psychological Research within the NHS
- BPS Guidelines for Conducting Research with People not having the Capacity to Consent
- BPS Discussion Paper on Ethics in Cognitive Neuroscience Research
- Ethical Publishing Principles: Authorship, Duplicate Publication, Plagiarism, Reporting Accuracy, and the Role of Reviewers
National Health Service (NHS)
- NHS National Research Ethics Service
- NHS Good Practice Resource Pack (PDF)
- Key Text from NHS Good Practice Resource Pack (DOC)
- NHS Research Passport Algorithm of Research Activity (PDF)
- NHS Instructions for Completing the Research Passport Form (PDF)
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Medical Research Council (MRC)
British Academy
Social Research Association (SRA)
Wellcome Trust
- Guidelines on Good Research Practice
- Research Involving People Living in Low and Middle Income Countries
American Psychological Association (APA)