Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
When a participant in a study or experiment decides to no longer participate and revokes their consent. This can happen for various reasons, such as feeling uncomfortable or unwilling to continue.
Related terms
Ethical Principle #1: Autonomy: The principle that individuals have the right to make decisions about their own lives and what they participate in without coercion.
Ethical Principle #2: Informed Consent: The requirement that participants in psychological studies must be fully informed about the purpose of the study, its procedures, potential risks, and benefits before deciding whether or not to participate.
Ethical Principle #3: Voluntary Participation: The principle that participation in psychological studies should be entirely voluntary without any form of pressure or force.