Question 1

The primary reason for using deception in psychological research is that sometimes it is the only way to obtain:

Accepted Answer

Deception can be used to create more natural responses from participants because they may behave differently if they know the true purpose of the study. This can be important for studying behaviors or reactions in situations that would not naturally occur in a laboratory setting. However, it is important to ethically balance the potential benefits of using deception with the potential harm it could cause to participants.

Question 2

Which of the following is a Canadian Psychological Association guideline on animal research?

Accepted Answer

The Canadian Psychological Association guideline on animal research states that the risks to which animals are exposed must be justified by the potential importance of the research. This indicates that animal research is not automatically deemed unethical and unnecessary, as suggested in option A, and that animals can be used in certain procedures, as long as their exposure to pain, stress, or privation is justified by the potential benefits of the research, as stated in option C. Finally, option D is incorrect as it suggests that the majority of research done with animals has no benefit for humans, without any evidence to support this claim.

Question 3

Considerations about whether the setting of an experiment is public or private and the manner in which information gained in an experiment will be recorded and distributed are most relevant to which ethical consideration?

Accepted Answer

The considerations of setting (public or private) and recording/distribution of information are related to the right to privacy, which is a key ethical consideration in research. Participants have the right to keep certain information private, and researchers must take steps to protect their privacy. Options A, B, and D (psychological risk, social risk, and deception, respectively) are other important ethical considerations but are not directly related to the setting or recording/distribution of information.

Question 4

The ethical guideline of informed consent specifically asserts that:

Accepted Answer

Informed consent requires that participants be told about key procedures in a study and any risks that may be involved, allowing them to make an informed decision about whether or not to participate. Deception is not always ethically justified and alternatives should be sought whenever possible. Experimenters should also be informed about significant research in their research areas, but this is not the specific focus of informed consent.

Question 5

Which of the following statements about deception is true?

Accepted Answer

While some research studies may use deception, the American Psychological Association has strict guidelines for the use of deception in research, and researchers are encouraged to find alternative methods whenever possible. Therefore, the vast majority of psychological experiments do not utilize deception.

Question 6

Which of the following statements regarding animal research is true?

Accepted Answer

According to reports from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture, animal research has declined slightly in recent years. This trend is due in part to increased emphasis on alternative methods such as computer simulations and tissue cultures, as well as greater ethical considerations regarding the use of animals in research.

Question 7

Deception is justified in psychological research:

Accepted Answer

Deception is a controversial issue in psychological research, but it is justified only when there are no other alternatives available and when the benefits of the study clearly outweigh the costs of using deception. This is because deception can harm the participants' trust in research and may have long-lasting negative effects. However, if there are no other ways to answer important research questions, and if the potential benefits (such as advancements in understanding and treating mental illness) are significant, then the use of deception may be justified. It is important for the researcher to debrief with the participants afterwards, to explain the reasons for the deception and to ensure that the participants do not suffer any harm as a result.

Question 8

Susan is interested in whether or not college students are prejudiced against elderly people.She had students come into the lab and view faces of people,making judgments about the emotion displayed by each face.Susan tells participants they are working on an emotion recognition experiment; however she is actually measuring the number of negative emotions assigned to the elderly faces.Susan's proposed research involves which of the following violations of the ethical standards in human research?

Accepted Answer

The proposed research involves the use of deception as Susan is not disclosing the true intent of the study and is misleading the participants by telling them they are working on an emotion recognition experiment. This violates the ethical principle of informed consent where participants should be fully informed about the purpose of the study and any potential risks or harms before deciding whether or not to participate.

Question 9

There is an ethical consideration in research that is most directly concerned with whether information provided by participants in a study could become known to other people and if so,whether there would be any negative consequences for the participant.This ethical consideration is called ___________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of There is an ethical consideration in research...

Question 10

Which ethical principle does deception violate?

Accepted Answer

Deception violates the ethical principle of informed consent, as participants are not fully aware of the true nature of the study and therefore cannot give informed consent.

Question 11

All of the following were mentioned as questions to ask yourself in order to become a better critical thinker except which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Although considering the reputation of the person presenting the evidence can be important, it was not specifically mentioned as one of the questions to ask yourself in order to become a better critical thinker. A, B, and D were all mentioned as important questions to ask when evaluating claims and evidence.

Question 12

The ethical area of a participant's right to privacy is most concerned with which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ethical area of a participant's right...

Question 13

Kyle could feel himself coming down with a nasty cold.His roommate,Dave,had been bragging about a new cold remedy he had discovered,guaranteeing that the remedy cured the common cold.Kyle went to Dave's room and asked him some questions about this new cure.Kyle was demonstrating critical thinking skills by asking:

Accepted Answer

By asking whether there is another plausible explanation for the remedy curing the common cold, Kyle is demonstrating critical thinking skills by questioning the validity of the claim and looking for additional evidence or explanations.

Question 14

A researcher is designing a study and is debating the potential use of deception.After discussing the issue with her colleagues,it is decided that there really is no alternative methodology that she could use to test her idea.Having said this,all of her colleagues agree that the cost of using deception in her study would strongly outweigh any positive benefits that would be gained from the study.Given this information,which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

Although there is no alternative methodology for the researcher to test her idea, the potential costs of using deception outweigh any potential benefits. This means that the use of deception is not ethically justified in this study. It is important to prioritize the well-being and informed consent of study participants.

Question 15

This consideration in research is most concerned with whether procedures in an experiment will expose a participant to significant mental or emotional stress.This is called _____________:

Accepted Answer

Psychological risk refers to the potential harm or discomfort that participants may experience as a result of psychological or emotional stress, such as anxiety or depression. This consideration is important to ensure that participants are not subjected to unnecessary harm or distress during the research process. Informed consent, social risk, and deception are also important considerations in research ethics, but they are not specifically related to the potential psychological risk to participants.

Question 16

A psychologist is interested in studying the effect of fear on memory.To do this,she plans to create a study in which subjects are exposed to random,painful shocks and then tested for their recall of specific information.Assume that the psychologist tells the participants about the point of the study and that they will be receiving painful shocks.Further assume that other people outside the experiment would never gain access to any information provided by participants in the study.This experiment would most likely conflict with which of the following ethical considerations?

Accepted Answer

The experiment involves exposing participants to painful shocks, which could cause psychological harm, thus conflicting with the ethical consideration of minimizing psychological risk.

Question 17

An ethical guideline that refers to how participants should be given full descriptions about the procedures involved in a study and told that they are free to withdraw from a study at any time is called _______________:

Accepted Answer

Informed consent is the ethical guideline that refers to providing participants with full descriptions of study procedures and informing them of their right to withdraw at any time. The right to privacy refers to respecting participants' privacy and protecting their personal information. Psychological and social risks refer to potential harm to participants' mental and social well-being, which must also be minimized in ethical research.

Question 18

Dr.Ross is conducting an experiment in which the information being collected from participants is highly sensitive.If anyone outside the study gained access to this information,it could be damaging for any of the participants in that they would be treated differently by other people.This particular aspect of this study is most relevant to which ethical consideration?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dr.Ross is conducting an experiment in which...

Question 19

When participants are misled about the nature of an experiment,researchers refer to this as:

Accepted Answer

Deception involves intentionally misleading or withholding information from participants about the nature of the study. This may include providing false information or concealing certain aspects of the study. Fabrication and falsification involve intentionally creating false data or results, while concealment refers to hiding information from participants that is relevant to the study but not necessarily deceptive. Therefore, D is the best answer.

Question 20

The case of Jeff Selinger,a bus driver from Halifax,is to "bystander intervention" as the case of Katerine,a 17-year old girl in Montreal,is to "bystander apathy".

Accepted Answer

Both cases relate to the concept of bystander behavior, but Jeff Selinger's case involves intervention, while Katerine's case involves apathy or inaction by bystanders.

Quiz 2: Studying Behaviour Scientifically