Giving opinions or shaping process? The experience of the Research Ethics Committee at the Institute of Psychology, Adam Mickiewicz University

Abstract

In most psychology studies the ethical issues of research process are discussed. It may therefore seem that the functioning of Research Ethics Committee is rather formal and its main role is to evaluate if these principles are followed. More than ten years of experience of the functioning of such Committee at the Institute of Psychology of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan shows that many of ethical questions need to be answered. Among others they include: problem of informed consent, range of information for participants, predicament of deception in research and research involving children. All have become a source of reflection and feedback information for applicants. As a result, statutory Research Ethics Commission task has been changed. The most important goal was pointing out the ethical implications of ongoing research activities rather than the simple evaluation of the research project.