Introduction

In this chapter we will look at what we mean by ethics. We will consider an array of terms such as morals, ethical issues, ethical guidelines, human rights, ethical relativism and utilitarianism, to name but a few. These can be easily confused by the reader (and by authors to be fair) but we will try and work our way through as best we can in order to better understand how psychologists develop their ideas of right and wrong and how we end up with the ethical codes that guide our behaviour. First though, look below at two examples of scientific studies that have raised some serious ethical concerns.