Question 1

Mark Regnerus may have violated the ethics of social responsibility because he

Accepted Answer

A)  used deception without debriefing his participants. 
B)  signed a Supreme Court brief that supported statutes opposing same-sex marriage. 
C)  undertook research that could show the harmful effects of same-sex marriage. 
D)  misrepresented the scope of his findings and how they apply to same-sex parents. 
A)  used deception without debriefing his participants. 
B)  signed a Supreme Court brief that supported statutes opposing same-sex marriage. 
C)  undertook research that could show the harmful effects of same-sex marriage. 
D)  misrepresented the scope of his findings and how they apply to same-sex parents. D

Question 2

According to federal regulations, informed consent statements must include all but which of the following elements?

Accepted Answer

A)  An explanation of the purposes of the research 
B)  A description of any reasonable foreseeable risks or discomforts to the participant 
C)  A description of any benefits to the participant or to others which may be reasonably expected from the research 
D)  A statement that participants may not be compensated if they choose to discontinue their participation 
A)  An explanation of the purposes of the research 
B)  A description of any reasonable foreseeable risks or discomforts to the participant 
C)  A description of any benefits to the participant or to others which may be reasonably expected from the research 
D)  A statement that participants may not be compensated if they choose to discontinue their participation D

Question 3

The Belmont Report presented three ethical principles that formed the basis for the development of federal regulations for protecting research participants: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. Carefully explain how these principles underlie regulations regarding risk of harm and informed consent.

Accepted Answer

The three ethical principles presented in The Belmont Report - respect for persons, beneficence, and justice - form the foundation for regulations regarding the risk of harm and informed consent in research.

Respect for persons requires that individuals have the autonomy to make their own decisions and be treated with dignity and respect. This principle underlies regulations regarding informed consent, as it mandates that researchers must fully inform participants about the potential risks and benefits of the study, as well as their right to refuse or withdraw from participation at any time. Informed consent ensures that participants are able to make voluntary and informed decisions about their involvement in research, thus upholding the principle of respect for persons.

Beneficence emphasizes the obligation to maximize benefits and minimize harm to research participants. This principle underlies regulations regarding the risk of harm, as it requires researchers to carefully assess and minimize potential risks to participants. Federal regulations require researchers to conduct thorough risk assessments and implement measures to mitigate any potential harm to participants. This ensures that the potential benefits of the research outweigh the potential risks, aligning with the principle of beneficence.

Justice requires that the benefits and burdens of research be distributed fairly among all potential participants. This principle underlies regulations regarding the risk of harm, as it mandates that researchers must ensure that the potential risks of the research are distributed equitably among all participants. Additionally, justice also underlies regulations regarding informed consent, as it requires that vulnerable populations are not unfairly targeted for participation in research. Federal regulations include specific protections for vulnerable populations, such as children, prisoners, and individuals with diminished autonomy, to ensure that they are not unduly burdened by research participation.

In summary, the ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice underlie regulations regarding the risk of harm and informed consent by ensuring that participants are treated with autonomy and respect, potential risks are minimized, and the benefits and burdens of research are distributed fairly among all participants. These principles serve as the ethical framework for the protection of research participants in federal regulations.

Question 4

The ideal of value neutrality applies to data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

As the chapter on ethics and politics reveals, research ethics pertain to all except which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  How research participants should be treated 
B)  How research topics are selected 
C)  How data are collected, analyzed, and reported 
D)  How research results are used 
A)  How research participants should be treated 
B)  How research topics are selected 
C)  How data are collected, analyzed, and reported 
D)  How research results are used

Question 6

The Coburn amendment to the 2013 U.S. spending bill was intended to

Accepted Answer

A)  increase support for social science research. 
B)  decrease support for social science research. 
C)  eliminate funding for sociology and political science. 
D)  restrict funding in political science to research that promotes U.S. national security and economic interests. 
A)  increase support for social science research. 
B)  decrease support for social science research. 
C)  eliminate funding for sociology and political science. 
D)  restrict funding in political science to research that promotes U.S. national security and economic interests.

Question 7

According to Box 3.3, which of the following is true of the ethics of data collection and analysis in the social sciences?

Accepted Answer

A)  Because of pressures to publish, data fabrication is relatively common. 
B)  Reporting fraudulent data only hurts the individual scientist who fabricates it. 
C)  Falsification may occur when a researcher excludes certain cases from the analysis to obtain a desired outcome. 
D)  ASA and APA ethical codes fail to spell out ethical standards pertaining to data collection and analysis. 
A)  Because of pressures to publish, data fabrication is relatively common. 
B)  Reporting fraudulent data only hurts the individual scientist who fabricates it. 
C)  Falsification may occur when a researcher excludes certain cases from the analysis to obtain a desired outcome. 
D)  ASA and APA ethical codes fail to spell out ethical standards pertaining to data collection and analysis.

Question 8

The question of conflict of interest arose in the Mark Regnerus study because

Accepted Answer

A)  it was heavily funded by conservative foundations opposed to same-sex marriage. 
B)  Regnerus failed to disclose his funding sources. 
C)  its ambiguous findings could be used to either support or oppose same-sex marriage. 
D)  Regnerus's personal position on same-sex marriage conflicted with his findings. 
A)  it was heavily funded by conservative foundations opposed to same-sex marriage. 
B)  Regnerus failed to disclose his funding sources. 
C)  its ambiguous findings could be used to either support or oppose same-sex marriage. 
D)  Regnerus's personal position on same-sex marriage conflicted with his findings.

Question 9

According to the text, new forms of information technology

Accepted Answer

A)  make it easier to protect research participants' right to privacy. 
B)  have increased concerns about privacy invasion in social research. 
C)  provide researchers with new, ethically neutral methods of social research. 
D)  simplify procedures for obtaining informed consent. 
A)  make it easier to protect research participants' right to privacy. 
B)  have increased concerns about privacy invasion in social research. 
C)  provide researchers with new, ethically neutral methods of social research. 
D)  simplify procedures for obtaining informed consent.

Question 10

Aside from controlling the amount of funds available for research, politicians have very little influence on what researchers choose to study.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

According to Box 3.3, to promote ethical data collection and analysis, it is recommended that social scientists

Accepted Answer

A)  harshly punish dishonest researchers. 
B)  share their data with others. 
C)  only report statistically significant results. 
D)  require certified professional degrees for all federal grant applicants. 
A)  harshly punish dishonest researchers. 
B)  share their data with others. 
C)  only report statistically significant results. 
D)  require certified professional degrees for all federal grant applicants.

Question 12

The brief filed by the American Sociological Association in the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court cases involving same-sex marriage

Accepted Answer

A)  advocated a position supported by a slight majority of members of the association. 
B)  supported federal and state statutes that prohibited same-sex marriage. 
C)  refuted a study purporting to show that children of same-sex parents fare worse than children of opposite-sex parents. 
D)  concluded that the evidence was mixed on the impact of same-sex parenting on a child's well-being. 
A)  advocated a position supported by a slight majority of members of the association. 
B)  supported federal and state statutes that prohibited same-sex marriage. 
C)  refuted a study purporting to show that children of same-sex parents fare worse than children of opposite-sex parents. 
D)  concluded that the evidence was mixed on the impact of same-sex parenting on a child's well-being.

Question 13

Each of the following statements is true of the influence of politics on social research except

Accepted Answer

A)  politics influence what scientists study but not how they conduct their research. 
B)  politics may influence research through the personal values of the researcher. 
C)  politics may influence research at the structural level, as in research funding. 
D)  politics affect each step in the research process. 
A)  politics influence what scientists study but not how they conduct their research. 
B)  politics may influence research through the personal values of the researcher. 
C)  politics may influence research at the structural level, as in research funding. 
D)  politics affect each step in the research process.

Question 14

One way that researchers deal with the influence of politics on their research is to acknowledge their own values.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Some scholars have maintained that social science should be completely "value-free." That is, so far as possible, social scientists should eliminate personal values from their research, and they should remain impartial regarding the application of their findings. Their only obligation, in short, is to accurately report what they know, based on their research. Carefully evaluate the tenability of this position. Is it consistent with ethical guidelines regarding the dissemination of knowledge?

Accepted Answer

The idea that social science should be c

Question 16

A student doing research on sexual behavior conducts an online survey that he tells participants is anonymous. In reality, the IP addresses enable him to identify people who respond, and he uses this information for a follow-up study. In what way(s) is this study ethically problematic?

Accepted Answer

A)  Studies of sexual behavior are inherently unethical. 
B)  The use of deception is not allowed in student surveys. 
C)  Participants' privacy has been compromised. 
D)  Federal regulations prohibit the use of college students for studies of sexual behavior. 
A)  Studies of sexual behavior are inherently unethical. 
B)  The use of deception is not allowed in student surveys. 
C)  Participants' privacy has been compromised. 
D)  Federal regulations prohibit the use of college students for studies of sexual behavior.

Question 17

To avoid the influence of politics on topic selection, a researcher would need to

Accepted Answer

A)  stop doing research altogether. 
B)  avoid research on human sexuality and other controversial topics. 
C)  base topic selection on scientific merit without regard to social benefits. 
D)  limit funding sources to agencies of the federal government. 
A)  stop doing research altogether. 
B)  avoid research on human sexuality and other controversial topics. 
C)  base topic selection on scientific merit without regard to social benefits. 
D)  limit funding sources to agencies of the federal government.

Question 18

Explain and give examples of how Mark Regnerus's study on the impact of same-sex and opposite-sex parenting involves issues of both ethics and politics.

Accepted Answer

Mark Regnerus's study on the impact of s

Question 19

According to Box 3.3, some social scientists consider careless errors and poorly conducted research violations of research ethics.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

In studies in which research participants' identities are known to the researcher, the principal way to protect their privacy is to

Accepted Answer

A)  ensure anonymity. 
B)  ensure confidentiality. 
C)  ensure both anonymity and confidentiality. 
D)  back up the data. 
A)  ensure anonymity. 
B)  ensure confidentiality. 
C)  ensure both anonymity and confidentiality. 
D)  back up the data.

Mark Regnerus may have violated the ethics of social responsibility because he

According to federal regulations, informed consent statements must include all but which of the following elements?

The ideal of value neutrality applies to data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

As the chapter on ethics and politics reveals, research ethics pertain to all except which of the following?

The Coburn amendment to the 2013 U.S. spending bill was intended to

According to Box 3.3, which of the following is true of the ethics of data collection and analysis in the social sciences?

The question of conflict of interest arose in the Mark Regnerus study because

According to the text, new forms of information technology

Aside from controlling the amount of funds available for research, politicians have very little influence on what researchers choose to study.

According to Box 3.3, to promote ethical data collection and analysis, it is recommended that social scientists

The brief filed by the American Sociological Association in the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court cases involving same-sex marriage

Each of the following statements is true of the influence of politics on social research except

One way that researchers deal with the influence of politics on their research is to acknowledge their own values.

A student doing research on sexual behavior conducts an online survey that he tells participants is anonymous. In reality, the IP addresses enable him to identify people who respond, and he uses this information for a follow-up study. In what way(s) is this study ethically problematic?

To avoid the influence of politics on topic selection, a researcher would need to

Explain and give examples of how Mark Regnerus's study on the impact of same-sex and opposite-sex parenting involves issues of both ethics and politics.

According to Box 3.3, some social scientists consider careless errors and poorly conducted research violations of research ethics.

In studies in which research participants' identities are known to the researcher, the principal way to protect their privacy is to

Introduction: Why Care About Research Methods?

Science and Social Research: From Theory to Data and Back

Research Designs: It Depends on the Question

Measurement: Linking Theory to Research

Sampling: Case Selection as a Basis for Inference

Experiments: What Causes What?

Surveys: Questioning and Sampling

Field Research and In-Depth Interviews: Systematic People-Watching and Listening

Existing Data Analysis: Using Data from Secondhand Sources

Multiple Methods: Two or More Approaches Are Better Than One

Quantitative Data Analysis: Using Statistics for Description and Inference

Qualitative Data Analysis: Searching for Meaning

Reading and Writing in Social Research: It's All About Communication

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Exam 3: The Ethics and Politics of Research: Doing What's "Right"

Mark Regnerus may have violated the ethics of social responsibility because he

According to federal regulations, informed consent statements must include all but which of the following elements?

The ideal of value neutrality applies to data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

As the chapter on ethics and politics reveals, research ethics pertain to all except which of the following?

The Coburn amendment to the 2013 U.S. spending bill was intended to

According to Box 3.3, which of the following is true of the ethics of data collection and analysis in the social sciences?

The question of conflict of interest arose in the Mark Regnerus study because

According to the text, new forms of information technology

Aside from controlling the amount of funds available for research, politicians have very little influence on what researchers choose to study.

According to Box 3.3, to promote ethical data collection and analysis, it is recommended that social scientists

The brief filed by the American Sociological Association in the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court cases involving same-sex marriage

Each of the following statements is true of the influence of politics on social research except

One way that researchers deal with the influence of politics on their research is to acknowledge their own values.

A student doing research on sexual behavior conducts an online survey that he tells participants is anonymous. In reality, the IP addresses enable him to identify people who respond, and he uses this information for a follow-up study. In what way(s) is this study ethically problematic?

To avoid the influence of politics on topic selection, a researcher would need to

Explain and give examples of how Mark Regnerus's study on the impact of same-sex and opposite-sex parenting involves issues of both ethics and politics.

According to Box 3.3, some social scientists consider careless errors and poorly conducted research violations of research ethics.

In studies in which research participants' identities are known to the researcher, the principal way to protect their privacy is to

Introduction: Why Care About Research Methods?

Science and Social Research: From Theory to Data and Back

Research Designs: It Depends on the Question

Measurement: Linking Theory to Research

Sampling: Case Selection as a Basis for Inference

Experiments: What Causes What?

Surveys: Questioning and Sampling

Field Research and In-Depth Interviews: Systematic People-Watching and Listening

Existing Data Analysis: Using Data from Secondhand Sources

Multiple Methods: Two or More Approaches Are Better Than One

Quantitative Data Analysis: Using Statistics for Description and Inference

Qualitative Data Analysis: Searching for Meaning

Reading and Writing in Social Research: It's All About Communication

Filters