Question 1

A social psychologist is constantly evaluating his program of research to make sure that the benefits of the research in terms of knowledge about human behavior outweigh the risks associated with mild deception.The psychologist is evaluating whether or not his research is:
A)externally valid.
B)beneficient.
C)just.
D)respecting persons.

Accepted Answer

The psychologist is evaluating whether the benefits of the research outweigh the risks associated with mild deception, which is a key part of the principle of beneficence in research ethics. The other choices, while important, do not directly relate to the psychologist's evaluation in this scenario.

Question 2

Which statement regarding deception in psychological research is TRUE?
A)Deception cannot be used.
B)Deception is a standard practice to minimize demand characteristics and does not need to be justified.
C)Deception can be used only when alternative procedures are not available and the study has applied or scientific value.
D)Deception can be used anytime it answers an important scientific question.

Accepted Answer

Deception can be used in psychological research, but it must be justified and used only when there are no alternative procedures available, and the study has applied or scientific value. The use of deception must be balanced against the potential harm to participants and must be approved by an institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee. Deception cannot be used anytime it answers an important scientific question, nor is it a standard practice to minimize demand characteristics. It is important for researchers to carefully consider the use of deception and ensure that participants are fully debriefed after the study.

Question 3

According to the American Psychological Association (APA)Code of Ethics,which statement about risk-benefit analysis is TRUE?
A)Participants may not be asked to take small risks.
B)Participants may be asked to accept large risks.
C)Participants may not be asked to accept large risks.
D)Participants may not be asked to take any risks.

Accepted Answer

The APA Code of Ethics stipulates that participants may not be asked to accept large risks, emphasizing the importance of minimizing harm and ensuring that any risks are justified by the potential benefits of the research.

Question 4

Which statement is NOT one of the three features of ethical scientific research as described by the Belmont Report?
A)The research has practical value.
B)The research respects people.
C)The research is beneficent.
D)The research is just.

Accepted Answer

The Belmont Report describes three features of ethical scientific research: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. None of these features include the research having practical value, so option A is not one of the three features described in the report.

Question 5

An educational psychologist is constantly evaluating her program of research to make sure that the benefits of the research in terms of insight into effective educational practices outweigh the risks associated with sometimes studying an ineffective teaching technique.The psychologist is evaluating whether or not her research is:
A)externally valid.
B)beneficient.
C)just.
D)respecting persons.

Accepted Answer

The psychologist is evaluating the potential benefits and risks of her research, indicating that she is concerned with beneficence - the principle of maximizing benefits and minimizing harms.

Question 6

If there are two different research methodologies that both would answer a particular research question,psychologists are obligated to use whichever methodology minimizes risk to participants.This illustrates which ethical principle?
A)freedom from coercion
B)informed consent
C)debriefing
D)protection from harm

Accepted Answer

The ethical principle in this situation is protection from harm. Psychologists must make sure that they are minimizing the risk to participants, which is a key part of protecting them from harm. Even if there are multiple methodologies that would work for a particular research question, the psychologist must choose the one that reduces harm and risk as much as possible.

Question 7

Informed consent:
A)must be obtained before individuals participate in an experiment.
B)is strongly recommended but not mandatory for individuals participating in an experiment.
C)is not necessary unless painful stimuli are involved.
D)is mandatory only for participants over 18 years of age.

Accepted Answer

Informed consent is a fundamental ethical principle that requires participants to have a clear understanding of the purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits associated with participating in an experiment. It is mandatory and must be obtained from all individuals before they can participate in an experiment.

B, C, and D are incorrect. Informed consent is not simply recommended; it is a requirement to ensure that participants understand their role in the experiment and have given their permission to be involved. It is necessary even if no painful stimuli are involved. Informed consent is also mandatory for all participants, regardless of age.

Question 8

An educational psychologist is interested in comparing two educational techniques in a sample of preschool children.In part because she believes that one technique might be more effective than the other,children are randomly assigned to the two techniques so that every child has the same opportunity to be assigned to the more effective technique.Randomly assigning students to groups satisfies which feature of ethical research?
A)external validity
B)beneficence
C)being just
D)respecting persons

Accepted Answer

Randomly assigning students to groups ensures fairness and equality, which aligns with the ethical principle of justice, ensuring that no group is unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged.

Question 9

Which ethical code was developed as a reaction to Nazi atrocities during World War II?
A)the Nuremberg Code
B)the Belmont Report
C)the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
D)the APA Code of Ethics

Accepted Answer

The Nuremberg Code was developed as a reaction to Nazi atrocities during World War II, specifically the unethical medical experiments conducted on concentration camp prisoners. The code outlines ethical principles of research on human subjects, including informed consent, voluntary participation, and minimizing harm.

Question 10

As a feature of ethical research,the term just refers to which statement?
A)Risks and benefits should be distributed fairly to participants.
B)Deception should not be used.
C)Researchers should attempt to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks to participants.
D)Researchers should obtain an informed consent from participants.

Accepted Answer

The term "just" in the context of ethical research refers to the fair distribution of risks and benefits to participants. This is important to ensure that no one group bears a disproportionate burden of harm or does not receive enough benefit from the research.

Question 11

It is unethical to coerce people into participating in research,even if the research is ultimately beneficial,because doing so violates which feature of ethical research?
A)external validity
B)beneficence
C)being just
D)respecting people

Accepted Answer

Coercing people into participating in research violates the principle of respecting people, which is a key feature of ethical research. This principle requires that researchers obtain informed consent from participants, and that they respect the autonomy and dignity of those individuals. Coercion undermines voluntary participation and autonomy, and therefore violates this principle. Beneficence is also an important feature of ethical research, but it is not directly related to the issue of coercion. External validity and being just are also important, but they do not apply directly to this issue.

Question 12

Which statement regarding deception in psychological research is TRUE?
A)Deception cannot be used.
B)Deception is a standard practice to minimize demand characteristics and does not need to be justified.
C)Deception cannot be used if it puts participants at risk of harm or pain.
D)Deception involving exposure to harm or pain is only justified if debriefing is provided.

Accepted Answer

Deception in psychological research is ethically permissible under certain conditions, but it cannot be used if it puts participants at risk of harm or pain. Ethical guidelines, such as those from the American Psychological Association, emphasize the importance of minimizing harm and ensuring the welfare of participants.

Question 13

The ethical principle of _____ means that research participants are given enough information about a study to make a reasonable decision about whether or not to participate.
A)freedom from coercion
B)informed consent
C)debriefing
D)protection from harm

Accepted Answer

Informed consent is the ethical principle that requires researchers to provide enough information to potential participants to make a reasonable decision about whether or not to participate.

Question 14

Jill decides to participate in research studies conducted by professors in the psychology department.Before a study begins,she is given what looks like a contract that describes the study,as well as the risks and benefits of participating.This describes:
A)debriefing.
B)informed consent.
C)demand characteristics.
D)research instructions.

Accepted Answer

The contract that Jill receives before the study begins is most likely an informed consent form. Informed consent is a process by which researchers must be transparent about the purpose, risks, benefits, and procedures of their study and gain voluntary agreement from their participants to participate in the study. Debriefing is a process that typically occurs after a study in which researchers provide participants with additional information about the study and address any concerns or questions that participants may have. Demand characteristics refer to the cues or information that participants may pick up on during a study that could influence their behavior, and research instructions refer to the procedures that researchers give to participants for how to perform a task or respond to a stimulus in a study.

Question 15

A psychiatrist is interested in comparing two different drugs to treat depression in a sample of patients.Because the drugs may differ both in terms of their effectiveness and in terms of side effects,patients are randomly assigned to the two drug conditions.Randomly assigning patients to groups satisfies which feature of ethical research?
A)external validity
B)beneficence
C)being just
D)respecting people

Accepted Answer

Randomly assigning patients to groups ensures fairness and equality in the distribution of treatments, which aligns with the ethical principle of justice.

Question 16

From 1932 to 1972,the U.S.government conducted the Tuskegee experiment,an example of unethical research in which African-American males were denied treatment for _____ in order to study the time course of the disease.
A)cancer
B)syphillis
C)schizophrenia
D)high blood pressure

Accepted Answer

The Tuskegee experiment involved the unethical withholding of treatment from African-American males who had syphilis in order to study the natural progression of the disease. This experiment was not only unethical but also led to permanent harm and even death of the participants.

Question 17

Participants in psychological research are free to end their participation at any time,with no threat of retribution or punishment.This freedom is consistent with which feature of ethical research?
A)external validity
B)beneficence
C)being just
D)respecting people

Accepted Answer

The freedom for participants to end their participation at any time without fear of punishment or retribution is consistent with the ethical principle of respecting people. This principle emphasizes the value of individuals and their autonomy, which includes their right to make their own decisions about participating in research. This principle is also reflected in obtaining informed consent from participants before their involvement in the study.

Question 18

An instructor makes it clear to his psychology students that if they do not participate in his research,they will receive a failing grade.What ethical principle has the instructor violated?
A)freedom from coercion
B)informed consent
C)debriefing
D)protection from harm

Accepted Answer

The instructor has violated the ethical principle of freedom from coercion by forcing students to participate in his research under the threat of receiving a failing grade. Coercion is the act of using pressure, intimidation, or threats to force someone to do something they might not want to do voluntarily.

Question 19

The term beneficient means that:
A)risks and benefits should be distributed fairly to participants.
B)participants should not be exposed to risk.
C)researchers should attempt to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of their research.
D)researchers obtain an informed consent from participants.

Accepted Answer

The term beneficence refers to the idea that researchers should aim to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of their research. Option A is related to the principle of justice, option B is not practical in all cases, and option D is related to the principle of respect for persons.

Question 20

As part of her course requirements,Jill participates in research studies conducted by professors.After she participates,she is fully informed about the nature of the study.This describes:
A)debriefing.
B)informed consent.
C)demand characteristics.
D)risk-benefit analysis.

Accepted Answer

Debriefing refers to the process where participants are given full details about the study's purpose and methods after their participation, which is what Jill experiences.

Quiz 2: Methods in Psychology-Part A

A social psychologist is constantly evaluating his program of research to make sure that the benefits of the research in terms of knowledge about human behavior outweigh the risks associated with mild deception.The psychologist is evaluating whether or not his research is:

Which statement regarding deception in psychological research is TRUE?

According to the American Psychological Association (APA) Code of Ethics,which statement about risk-benefit analysis is TRUE?

Which statement is NOT one of the three features of ethical scientific research as described by the Belmont Report?

If there are two different research methodologies that both would answer a particular research question,psychologists are obligated to use whichever methodology minimizes risk to participants.This illustrates which ethical principle?

Informed consent:

Which ethical code was developed as a reaction to Nazi atrocities during World War II?

As a feature of ethical research,the term just refers to which statement?

It is unethical to coerce people into participating in research,even if the research is ultimately beneficial,because doing so violates which feature of ethical research?

Which statement regarding deception in psychological research is TRUE?

The ethical principle of _____ means that research participants are given enough information about a study to make a reasonable decision about whether or not to participate.

Jill decides to participate in research studies conducted by professors in the psychology department.Before a study begins,she is given what looks like a contract that describes the study,as well as the risks and benefits of participating.This describes:

From 1932 to 1972,the U.S.government conducted the Tuskegee experiment,an example of unethical research in which African-American males were denied treatment for _____ in order to study the time course of the disease.

Participants in psychological research are free to end their participation at any time,with no threat of retribution or punishment.This freedom is consistent with which feature of ethical research?

An instructor makes it clear to his psychology students that if they do not participate in his research,they will receive a failing grade.What ethical principle has the instructor violated?

The term beneficient means that:

As part of her course requirements,Jill participates in research studies conducted by professors.After she participates,she is fully informed about the nature of the study.This describes: