Abstract
M.Phil.
Industrial psychologists conduct research in order to contribute to the understanding of
human behaviour at work. Within the role of researcher, industrial psychologists are required to adhere to ethical considerations as stipulated in the Health Professions Council Code of Ethics as well as the ethical principles in research. Adherence to and the reporting of the ethical principles in research are essential to ensure that the integrity and social standing of the profession is upheld. The aim of this study is to determine the extent to which the ethical considerations pertaining to research subjects (anonymity, confidentiality, informed consent and voluntary participation) are reported. The articles published between 2001 and 2010 in a single journal, targeting industrial psychologists in particular, namely the SA Journal of Industrial Psychology forms the basis of this study. A quantitative content analysis on all the articles involving research subjects was conducted to determine the extent of reporting on the ethical considerations and the number of times these considerations are reported as well as the extent to which there is a temporal change in the reporting. The results of the study showed that the reporting on ethical considerations in the period 2001 to 2010 is generally low. There is,however,anincreasing tendency amongst authors to report on ethical considerations, specifically on the issues of confidentiality, anonymity and voluntary participation. The results of this study may inform industrial psychology researchers and journal editors about the general trend in the reporting of ethical considerations pertaining to research subjects.