Ethical Oversight

1. Introduction

Jurnal Ilmu Perilaku (JIP) is committed to ensuring that all research submitted for publication is conducted and reported in accordance with appropriate ethical principles, professional standards, and applicable legal and institutional requirements.

Ethical oversight is particularly important in psychology and behavioral sciences because research frequently involves human participants, psychological assessments, personal experiences, sensitive information, and individuals or groups who may be vulnerable to harm, coercion, or breaches of confidentiality.

The journal recognizes that ethical research requires respect for human dignity, autonomy, privacy, well-being, and the responsible use of scientific knowledge.

This policy has been developed with reference to the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), relevant research ethics principles, and the applicable ethical and legal frameworks governing research involving human participants.

Ethical oversight is a shared responsibility among researchers, authors, research institutions, ethics committees, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

2. Scope of Ethical Oversight

This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to Jurnal Ilmu Perilaku, including research involving:

Human participants in psychological and behavioral studies.
Surveys, questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions.
Psychological tests and psychometric assessments.
Experimental and observational research.
Clinical, counseling, and mental health research.
Educational, developmental, organizational, and social psychology.
Children, adolescents, and other potentially vulnerable populations.
Online research and digital behavioral data.
Secondary analysis of existing research data.
Case studies and identifiable personal information.
Animal research, where relevant to the journal's scope.

The requirements apply to research conducted in Indonesia and internationally, taking into account the ethical and legal requirements applicable to the study.

3. General Principles of Research Ethics

Jurnal Ilmu Perilaku expects authors to observe the following ethical principles.

3.1 Respect for Human Dignity and Autonomy

Researchers must respect the dignity, rights, autonomy, and personal integrity of research participants.

Participation should ordinarily be voluntary and based on sufficient information about the research.

3.2 Beneficence and Non-Maleficence

Researchers must seek to maximize potential benefits and minimize foreseeable risks.

Research procedures should avoid unnecessary psychological distress, physical harm, social disadvantage, or other adverse consequences.

3.3 Justice and Fair Participant Selection

Participant recruitment and selection should be scientifically justified and conducted fairly.

Researchers must avoid unjustified discrimination, exploitation, or disproportionate research burdens.

3.4 Privacy and Confidentiality

Personal and sensitive information must be handled responsibly and protected against unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse.

3.5 Scientific Integrity

Research must be conducted and reported honestly, accurately, and transparently.

Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and other forms of research misconduct are prohibited.

4. Ethics Committee Approval

Research involving human participants must comply with applicable institutional ethics review requirements and relevant laws and regulations.

Where independent ethics review is required, researchers must obtain approval from an appropriate Research Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board (IRB) before commencing the relevant research activities.

Authors should provide the following information in their manuscript:

Name of the ethics committee or reviewing institution.
Ethics approval number or reference identifier, where applicable.
Date of approval, where relevant.
Confirmation that the research was conducted in accordance with the approved protocol.
Relevant information about any approved amendments or exemptions.

Where formal ethics review was not required, authors must provide a clear explanation supported by the applicable institutional policy, ethics committee determination, or relevant regulatory framework.

The absence of an ethics approval requirement does not exempt researchers from their responsibilities to protect participants and conduct research ethically.

The journal may request supporting documentation when clarification or verification is necessary.

Ethics approval obtained after research has been completed must not be misrepresented as prior approval.

5. Informed Consent to Participate

Researchers must obtain appropriate informed consent from human participants unless a valid waiver or exception applies under the relevant ethical and legal framework.

Informed consent should ordinarily include clear information about:

The purpose and nature of the research.
Research procedures and expected participation.
Potential risks and anticipated benefits.
Voluntary participation.
The right to decline or withdraw, including any applicable limitations.
Confidentiality and data protection.
Intended use of research findings.
Contact information for research-related questions.

Consent information should be understandable to the participants and appropriate to their language, age, educational background, and circumstances.

Written, electronic, or verbal consent may be appropriate depending on the research design and applicable ethics requirements.

Where consent is waived or modified, authors must explain the ethical and regulatory basis for the decision.

Participation must not be obtained through inappropriate pressure, deception, threats, or coercion.

6. Consent for Publication

Consent to participate in research is distinct from consent to publish identifiable information.

When a manuscript contains information that could identify a participant, authors must obtain appropriate authorization for publication.

Identifiable information may include:

Names or personal identifiers.
Photographs or video images.
Audio recordings.
Detailed clinical or psychological case descriptions.
Verbatim quotations containing identifying details.
Combinations of demographic or contextual information that could reasonably reveal identity.

Authors must ensure that participants understand the potential consequences of publishing identifiable information, particularly when the publication will be openly accessible online.

Where identifiable information is not essential to the scholarly contribution, it should be removed or appropriately de-identified.

The journal may request confirmation or appropriately protected documentation of publication consent.

7. Research Involving Children and Adolescents

Research involving children and adolescents requires particular attention to developmental capacity, autonomy, safety, and potential vulnerability.

Researchers must comply with applicable requirements concerning permission from parents or legally authorized representatives.

Where appropriate, researchers must also seek the child's or adolescent's affirmative agreement or assent in a manner suited to their age and understanding.

Research involving minors should:

Use age-appropriate information and consent procedures.
Minimize foreseeable psychological, social, and physical risks.
Protect confidentiality and personal information.
Avoid coercion arising from relationships with teachers, parents, caregivers, or institutional authorities.
Establish appropriate safeguards for sensitive questions and potentially distressing procedures.
Respect participants' willingness to discontinue participation, subject to applicable ethical and legal requirements.

The involvement of parents, schools, or other institutions does not automatically replace the need to consider the rights and interests of the child.

8. Research Involving Vulnerable Populations

Additional ethical safeguards may be necessary when research involves individuals whose circumstances increase the risk of coercion, exploitation, discrimination, or harm.

Depending on the research context, such populations may include:

Individuals experiencing psychological distress.
People with reduced decision-making capacity.
Individuals with disabilities.
Patients receiving psychological or psychiatric care.
Individuals in dependent institutional relationships.
People experiencing significant social or economic disadvantage.
Survivors of violence, abuse, or traumatic experiences.
Other groups facing context-specific vulnerability.

Vulnerability must be assessed in relation to the research context rather than assumed solely from group membership.

Authors must justify the inclusion of vulnerable participants and describe safeguards appropriate to the potential risks.

These may include adapted consent procedures, additional privacy protections, independent recruitment, and access to appropriate support when distress occurs.

9. Psychological Risk and Participant Welfare

Psychological and behavioral research may involve sensitive topics, emotional responses, or procedures capable of causing distress.

Researchers must identify and assess foreseeable risks before conducting the study.

Potential risks may include:

Emotional discomfort or psychological distress.
Recollection of traumatic experiences.
Social stigma or discrimination.
Disclosure of sensitive personal information.
Adverse consequences in educational, occupational, family, or clinical settings.

Researchers should implement proportionate safeguards to reduce foreseeable harm.

When the research presents a meaningful risk of distress, the study protocol should address appropriate responses, including referral or support arrangements where warranted.

Authors must accurately report relevant ethical safeguards in their manuscripts.

10. Research Involving Psychological Assessments

Studies using psychological tests, behavioral scales, diagnostic instruments, or other assessment procedures must respect professional, ethical, and intellectual property requirements.

Authors must ensure that:

Instruments are appropriate for the intended population and research purpose.
Administration and scoring procedures are accurately described.
Relevant validity and reliability evidence is reported.
Necessary permissions or licenses have been obtained.
Test materials and restricted content are not reproduced without authorization.
Assessment results are handled confidentially.
Interpretations do not exceed the available evidence.

Researchers must not misrepresent research-based psychological measurements as clinical diagnoses when the methods do not support such conclusions.

Where instruments require specific professional qualifications or training, researchers must comply with applicable requirements.

11. Research Involving Clinical and Counseling Settings

Research conducted in clinical, counseling, psychiatric, or other healthcare-related settings requires careful consideration of participant welfare and professional responsibilities.

Researchers must ensure that participation does not improperly interfere with necessary care or services.

Participants should not be led to believe that refusing research participation will affect their access to treatment, counseling, or other services.

Where relevant, authors should describe:

Institutional and ethics approvals.
Consent procedures.
Protection of clinical records.
Management of professional relationships.
Measures to minimize potential harm.
Appropriate referral or support procedures.

Confidential clinical information must not be disclosed without a valid ethical and legal basis.

12. Research Involving Deception

Some psychological and behavioral studies may involve incomplete disclosure or deception as part of the research design.

Such procedures must not be used merely for convenience.

Where deception is proposed, researchers must establish that it is scientifically justified, ethically permissible, and consistent with applicable ethics review requirements.

The research protocol should consider:

Whether non-deceptive alternatives are feasible.
The nature and magnitude of potential risks.
Whether the deception could affect participants' willingness to participate.
Appropriate debriefing procedures.
Whether participants should have an opportunity to withdraw their data after debriefing, where feasible and applicable.

Deception must not expose participants to unjustified harm or violate applicable ethical requirements.

13. Online and Digital Behavioral Research

Research involving online surveys, social media, digital platforms, mobile applications, or electronically collected behavioral information must comply with relevant ethical and data protection requirements.

Researchers should consider:

Whether participants reasonably expect their information to be private.
Whether informed consent is required.
The sensitivity of the information collected.
Platform terms and applicable legal requirements.
Risks of identification or re-identification.
Security of data collection and storage systems.
Whether publication of quotations or digital records could identify individuals.

Public accessibility of online information does not automatically mean that its use in research is ethically unrestricted.

Researchers must evaluate privacy expectations and potential risks associated with collecting, analyzing, and publishing digital information.

14. Data Privacy and Confidentiality

Authors are responsible for protecting research data and personal information in accordance with applicable legal, ethical, and institutional requirements.

Research data must be collected, stored, processed, shared, and reported responsibly.

Appropriate safeguards may include:

Data minimization.
De-identification or anonymization.
Secure storage.
Restricted access.
Encryption where appropriate.
Controlled data sharing.
Secure disposal of data when required.

Researchers conducting studies in Indonesia must consider applicable personal data protection legislation, including Law No. 27 of 2022 concerning Personal Data Protection, where relevant.

Authors must not disclose identifiable psychological, clinical, educational, or behavioral data without an appropriate legal and ethical basis.

The journal's Data and Reproducibility Policy must be interpreted consistently with these confidentiality obligations.

15. Research in Educational and Organizational Settings

Psychological research conducted in schools, universities, workplaces, or other organizations may involve unequal power relationships.

Researchers must ensure that participants are not subjected to inappropriate pressure from teachers, supervisors, employers, or institutional authorities.

Where applicable, authors should explain:

Institutional permission to conduct the research.
Participant recruitment procedures.
Voluntary participation.
Protection against coercion.
Confidentiality of individual responses.
Separation of research participation from academic, employment, or service evaluations.

Institutional permission does not automatically substitute for individual informed consent.

16. Secondary Data and Archival Research

Research involving existing datasets, institutional records, archived materials, or previously collected participant information must comply with applicable conditions of access and reuse.

Authors should disclose relevant data sources and explain the ethical basis for their use.

When datasets contain identifiable or sensitive information, researchers must comply with confidentiality agreements, participant consent conditions, and applicable regulations.

A previous ethics approval does not necessarily authorize every new use of research data.

Where required, additional ethics review, institutional authorization, or other appropriate approval must be obtained.

17. Research Involving Animals

Although the primary focus of Jurnal Ilmu Perilaku is psychology and behavioral sciences, submissions involving animal research may require specific ethical consideration.

If such research is within the journal's scope, authors must demonstrate compliance with applicable animal welfare legislation, institutional requirements, and recognized ethical standards.

Where required, approval must be obtained from an appropriate animal ethics committee.

Authors should report relevant information about:

The purpose and justification of animal use.
Species and number of animals.
Housing and care conditions.
Experimental procedures.
Measures to minimize pain, distress, and suffering.
Applicable ethics approval information.

The journal may decline manuscripts that do not adequately demonstrate ethical treatment of animals.

18. Ethical Conduct in Research Reporting

Authors must report research methods, findings, limitations, and ethical considerations accurately.

The journal does not permit:

Fabrication or falsification of research data.
Misrepresentation of ethics approval.
False statements regarding informed consent.
Concealment of serious adverse events.
Unauthorized disclosure of participant information.
Deliberately misleading descriptions of research procedures.
Inappropriate manipulation of research findings.

Authors must disclose relevant ethical limitations that may affect interpretation of the study.

19. Ethics Statements in Manuscripts

Authors should include a dedicated ethical statement in manuscripts reporting research involving human participants or animals.

The statement should address, where applicable:

Ethics approval or exemption.
Name of the approving or reviewing ethics committee.
Approval reference number, where available.
Informed consent procedures.
Consent for publication of identifiable information.
Participant confidentiality and privacy safeguards.
Additional protections for vulnerable participants.
Compliance with applicable ethical and legal requirements.

Where formal ethics review was not required, authors should provide a clear and supportable explanation.

The editorial team may request clarification or supporting documentation when necessary.

20. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that research submitted to Jurnal Ilmu Perilaku has been conducted ethically.

Authors must:

Obtain required ethical approvals before conducting research.
Obtain appropriate informed consent.
Protect participant rights, dignity, and welfare.
Maintain confidentiality and data security.
Report research procedures accurately.
Disclose relevant ethical concerns.
Cooperate with reasonable editorial inquiries.
Correct inaccurate ethical declarations when identified.

Authors remain responsible for the ethical conduct of their research regardless of whether the manuscript is accepted or published.

21. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to consider relevant ethical aspects of manuscripts within their expertise.

Potential concerns include:

Missing or unclear ethics approval statements.
Inadequate informed consent procedures.
Insufficient protection of vulnerable participants.
Inappropriate disclosure of personal information.
Unjustified psychological risks.
Misuse of psychological assessment instruments.
Apparent inconsistencies in ethical reporting.

Reviewers should communicate substantive ethical concerns confidentially to the handling editor.

Reviewers must not independently contact research participants or institutions about confidential manuscript content without appropriate authorization.

22. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for considering ethical compliance as part of manuscript assessment and publication decisions.

When concerns arise, editors may:

Request clarification from authors.
Request appropriate ethics documentation.
Consult independent experts.
Seek verification from an ethics committee or institution where justified.
Suspend manuscript processing pending clarification.
Reject a manuscript when serious ethical concerns remain unresolved.
Initiate appropriate post-publication procedures when necessary.

Editorial decisions must be fair, proportionate, and based on available evidence.

23. Handling Allegations of Ethical Violations

Suspected violations of research ethics will be assessed under the journal's Allegations of Misconduct Policy.

Concerns may be raised by editors, reviewers, authors, research participants, institutions, or readers.

The journal will evaluate credible allegations objectively and protect confidentiality to the extent appropriate.

Where the concern requires formal investigation beyond the journal's authority, the editorial team may contact an appropriate research institution or ethics committee.

Possible editorial actions include:

Requesting clarification or additional documentation.
Requiring manuscript revision.
Suspending editorial assessment.
Rejecting a manuscript.
Publishing a correction.
Publishing an expression of concern.
Retracting a published article when justified.

Retraction decisions will follow the journal's Retraction Policy and relevant COPE guidance.

24. Ethical Publishing and Editorial Independence

Ethical oversight extends beyond the conduct of research to the journal's own editorial and publishing practices.

Jurnal Ilmu Perilaku is committed to promoting:

Fair and impartial editorial assessment.
Confidential manuscript handling.
Appropriate management of competing interests.
Transparent publication procedures.
Responsible communication with authors and reviewers.
Protection of editorial independence.
Accurate and non-misleading information about journal services.
Ethical advertising, sponsorship, and direct marketing practices, where applicable.

Editorial decisions must be based on scholarly merit, methodological quality, relevance, and ethical acceptability rather than inappropriate commercial, institutional, or personal influence.

25. Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

Jurnal Ilmu Perilaku will periodically review this policy to maintain consistency with developments in research ethics, psychological science, applicable regulations, and relevant COPE guidance.

The journal will seek to ensure consistency between this policy and its Author Guidelines, Data and Reproducibility Policy, Allegations of Misconduct Policy, and Post-Publication Corrections Policy.

Material policy revisions should be communicated transparently through the journal website.