Deck 7: Understanding Ethical Issues in the Research Process

Question 1

Obtaining informed consent from research participants is a process that involves:

A) informing the participants about research.
B) obtaining consent to participate in research.
C) receiving consent from an institutional review board to conduct research.
D) informing the participants about research and obtaining consent to participate in it.

Answer 1

informing the participants about research and obtaining consent to participate in it.

Question 2

In 1954, Vinacke wrote a letter to the editor of the American Psychologist:

A) regarding the overreliance on college students as participants in psychological research.
B) about the problem of nonrandom sampling in most psychological research.
C) about the general tendency of researchers to be more concerned with treating participants ethically rather than with proper experimental procedures.
D) taking psychologists to task for a lack of concern over the welfare of their research participants.

Answer 2

taking psychologists to task for a lack of concern over the welfare of their research participants.

Question 3

The Nuremberg Code was developed after:

A) the unethical behavior of German soldiers during World War II.
B) the use of concentration camp inmates in medical experiments during World War II.
C) the use of elderly cancer patients in research without their knowledge in the United States.
D) None of the answers is correct.

Answer 3

the use of concentration camp inmates in medical experiments during World War II.

Question 4

The Declaration of Helsinki:

A) specifically addresses medical research but also applies to research in the social sciences.
B) states that research must be reviewed by an independent group of individuals who will ensure that the research protocol adheres to accepted ethical standards.
C) suggests that medical researchers are obligated to protect the health, welfare, and dignity of research participants.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 5

The first ethical code of the American Psychological Association (APA) was accepted in:

A) 1935.
B) 1947.
C) 1953.
D) 1973.

Question 6

Respect for persons, beneficence, and justice are the three basic principles of ethical treatment of human participants underlying all medical and behavioral research. These principles are presented in the:

A) Nuremberg Code.
B) Declaration of Helsinki.
C) Belmont Report.
D) Colbert Report.

Question 7

In the context of the Belmont Report, which of the following is a component of beneficence?

A) To protect the well-being of research participants
B) To discourage the submission of raw data
C) To assure the voluntary participation of research participants
D) To treat research participants as capable decision makers

Question 8

In the context of the Belmont Report, which of the following principles states that researchers and participants should share the costs and potential benefits of research as well as prohibits using participant populations simply because they are readily available, are convenient, and may have difficulty refusing participation in research?

A) Respect for persons
B) Beneficence
C) Justice
D) Equality

Question 9

According to the 2002 APA ethical principles that apply to human research participants, informed consent shall be obtained when voices or images are recorded as data unless:

A) the research consists solely of artificial observation in private places.
B) the research design includes deception and consent for the use of the recording is obtained during debriefing.
C) the recording will be used for teaching purposes in classrooms.
D) it is anticipated that the recording will be used in a manner that could cause medical ailment.

Question 10

According to the 2002 APA ethical principles that apply to human research participants, informed consent when required should include:

A) participants' right to decline to participate and to withdraw from the research once participation has begun.
B) the foreseeable consequences of declining or withdrawing.
C) reasonably foreseeable factors that may be expected to influence participants' willingness to participate.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 11

According to the 2002 APA ethical principles that apply to human research participants, informed consent may be dispensed with only:

A) where research would not reasonably be assumed to cause distress or harm.
B) when information provided to obtain informed consent would cause individuals to refuse participation.
C) if investigators feel that the potential benefits of research outweigh any harm that may befall the participants.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 12

According to the APA ethical principles, deception is an acceptable research practice if:

A) investigators determine that the use of deceptive techniques is justified by the study's significant prospective scientific value.
B) investigators have determined that no alternative procedures are available.
C) fully informing participants of the purposes of the experiment would cause them to refuse participation.
D) investigators determine that the use of deceptive techniques is justified by the study's significant prospective scientific, educational, or applied value and that effective nondeceptive alternative procedures are not feasible.

Question 13

According to the APA principles, if you decide to use deception in your research, you must:

A) make sure that you conceal the true nature of the research from your participants to avoid negative effects on their self-esteem.
B) develop an elaborate cover story to ensure that participants will not find out about the true purpose of your research.
C) explain that deception is an integral feature of the design and conduct of the research to participants as early as is feasible.
D) conceal the true nature of the research from participants.

Question 14

According to the APA ethical principles, when psychologists conduct research with clients/patients, students, or subordinates as participants, they should take steps to:

A) conceal the true nature of the research from the participants.
B) prevent the participants from being able to withdraw from the research.
C) protect the prospective participants from adverse consequences of declining or withdrawing from participation.
D) make the participants an offer they can't refuse.

Question 15

In the context of the guidelines that apply to using children as research participants, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2009) regulations for research with human participants states that:

A) permission from one parent is sufficient even if there is greater than minimal risk to child participants.
B) the assent of child participants must be obtained unless the research involving children is exempt under the code.
C) permission from both parents is required when the research has a direct potential benefit to child participants.
D) the participation of children in research should be eliminated because it is difficult to safeguard their health and welfare.

Question 16

An institutional review board (IRB) reviews your research to ensure that it:

A) uses internally valid procedures.
B) does not use deception.
C) adheres to established ethical guidelines.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 17

A proposal submitted to an IRB includes:

A) a draft of your informed-consent form.
B) information concerning the potential risks to participants.
C) information about your plans for following up the research with reports to participants.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 18

One factor that both researchers and IRBs must assess is:

A) whether a proposed research is too expensive to conduct.
B) whether it is possible to carryout a proposed research in the suggested time.
C) the risk-benefit ratio of doing research.
D) whether researchers have the expertise to carryout a proposed research.

Question 19

Which of the following is a disadvantage of an institutional review board (IRB)?

A) It fails to protect psychologists from liabilities in case participants suffer harm during research.
B) IRB review adds to the costs of doing research and leads to delay in conducting research.
C) It discourages communication between researchers and its members, thereby reducing collaboration during research.
D) IRB review fails to determine if the benefits of a research outweigh the potential risks to participants.

Question 20

An Internet research gives potential participants a full description of the study, an informed-consent form, an opportunity to withdraw from the study, and information on how to obtain follow-up information. This Internet research:

A) raises serious ethical concerns because researchers do not know who will choose to participate.
B) poses no more ethical concerns than offline research.
C) should not be conducted because of a high potential for abuse.
D) does not require review by an IRB.

Question 21

Internet research that makes use of existing chat rooms, forums and communities, and e-mail groups:

A) poses no more ethical concerns than normal, offline research.
B) should never be attempted because such research violates ethical principles.
C) raises a host of issues not covered particularly well in traditional ethical guidelines.
D) raises no ethical issues.

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true about the guidelines developed by the Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) to address key ethical issues posed by Internet research?

A) They focus on philosophically driven ethical arguments.
B) They are "top-down" principles.
C) They are rooted strongly in the Nuremberg Code and the Office of Research Integrity (ORI).
D) They address ethical issues based on the nature and needs of specific research studies.

Question 23

Materials that people post on social media, such as Facebook or Twitter, _____.

A) are "public" in nature, and their use in research does not require informed consent by page owners
B) may include postings by "third parties," thereby complicating the issue of whether informed consent is required
C) may not be used for research purposes under any circumstance
D) can be used in research without informed consent as long as the names of the people who have posted the materials remain confidential

Question 24

_____ means that you explain the methods used in a study to the participants, including any deception.

A) Debriefing
B) Dehoaxing
C) Deluding
D) Detoxing

Question 25

"Dehoaxing" means that you:

A) explain to your participants the purpose of your study and ask for their consent to participate in it.
B) explain to your participants the methods used in your study, including any deception.
C) convince your participants that the deception used in your study was necessary and take steps to reverse any ill effects of being deceived.
D) convince your participants that crop circles are not created by aliens.

Question 26

While evaluating the chat room participants' responses to being part of a research study, James Hudson and Amy Bruckman (2004) found that they were more likely to be kicked out of a chat room when _____.

A) they failed to guarantee the security of whistleblowers
B) the number of moderators in the chat room decreased
C) there was an increase in the number of chat room members
D) they identified themselves as researchers

Question 27

According to Pittenger (2003), the Internet can be considered equivalent to a public place like a shopping mall because:

A) Internet use is now so common that users should understand that it does not afford privacy.
B) people can easily maintain anonymity by using a pseudonym that cannot be traced back to reveal their identity.
C) the exchange of information in open, public Internet forums does not fall under the heading of research that requires informed consent and can be legitimately studied as long as there is no potential harm to participants.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 28

Which of the following statements is true about an institutional review board (IRB)?

A) It is important because it allows a group of individuals who do not have a vested interest in your research to screen your study.
B) It helps to protect you, your participants, and the sponsoring institution from legal liability for any harm that comes to people as a result of participation in your research.
C) It eliminates the need for you to conduct a cost-benefit assessment of your research.
D) It is important because it allows a group of individuals who do not have a vested interest in your research to screen your study, and its review and approval provide protection for you, your participants, and the sponsoring institution.

Question 29

Proposals for research using animal subjects must be reviewed and approved by:

A) the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
B) an institutional review board (IRB).
C) an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC).
D) People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Question 30

According to the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Research Council, 2011), an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) membership should include:

A) a doctor of veterinary medicine who has training or experience in laboratory animal science and medicine.
B) at least one practicing scientist experienced in research involving animals.
C) at least one member who is not a scientist selected from inside or outside the institution.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 31

Fraud in research:

A) can erode public's confidence in scientific findings.
B) can have real and detrimental effects on a person's health and well-being.
C) touches all types of research, from the social sciences to medical sciences.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 32

_____ defines three categories of research misconduct, which are data fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism.

A) The Belmont Report
B) An institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC)
C) An institutional review board (IRB)
D) The Office of Research Integrity (ORI)

Question 33

The most harmful, but rare, form of research fraud is:

A) the outright fabrication of data.
B) taking senior authorship on an article you had little to do with.
C) the alteration of data to make them look better.
D) the publication of several small articles from a single data set.

Question 34

Bell (1992) suggested that exactly quantifying research fraud may be difficult because:

A) researchers who suspect that a colleague is falsifying data may not bother to report it.
B) liabilities associated with "blowing the whistle" can be quite severe.
C) nobody cares about research fraud since it doesn't hurt anyone.
D) researchers who suspect that a colleague is falsifying data may not report it and liabilities associated with "blowing the whistle" can be quite severe.

Question 35

You detect some research fraud in your laboratory. You decide to "blow the whistle" and turn the offender in. You will most likely be:

A) given an award for blowing the whistle.
B) largely ignored for blowing the whistle.
C) respected and venerated for blowing the whistle.
D) vilified, and your own credibility will be called into question.

Question 36

Motivation to commit fraud in research may stem from the _____.

A) desire to publish in prestigious journals
B) pressure to obtain publications necessary for tenure
C) pressure to obtain scarce research funding
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 37

The best way to deal with research fraud is to:

A) make maximum use of the review processes.
B) replicate suspicious results.
C) train scientists so that they understand the importance of honesty in research.
D) secretly monitor researchers when they do research.

Question 38

Which of the following statements is true about the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI)?

A) It states that institutions are obligated to protect whistleblowers from retaliation in accordance with U.S. law.
B) It states that research participants should be autonomous and allowed to make their own decisions.
C) It states that research must be reviewed by an independent group of individuals who will ensure that the research protocol adheres to the accepted U.S. ethical standards.
D) It states that both researchers and participants should share the costs and potential benefits of research.

Question 39

Current research practice requires that researchers obtain informed consent from human participants.

Question 40

As a researcher, you must present your research protocol for review of ethical issues before you conduct your research.

Question 41

Respect for persons, beneficence, and justice are the three basic principles of ethical treatment of human participants underlying all medical and behavioral research as outlined in the Belmont Report.

Question 42

Although psychologists are bound by the APA ethical principles, there are no government regulations that apply to the conduct of psychological research.

Question 43

According to the 2002 APA ethical principles, it is permissible to offer excessive financial inducements for research participation when such inducements are likely to coerce participation.

Question 44

According to the 2002 APA ethical principles, when research participation is a course requirement or an opportunity for extra credit, a prospective participant is given the choice of equitable alternative activities.

Question 45

Psychologists make reasonable efforts to avoid offering excessive or inappropriate financial or other inducements for research participation when such inducements are likely to coerce participation.

Question 46

Informed consent to participate in psychological research can never be dispensed with.

Question 47

Psychologists have no obligation to offer participants a prompt opportunity to obtain appropriate information about the nature, results, and conclusions of research.

Question 48

The Department of Health and Human Services regulations were developed because ethical violations persisted even after other ethical guidelines were adopted.

Question 49

Submission of a research proposal to an institutional review board (IRB) is totally voluntary in institutions that receive federal funding.

Question 50

According to the principles for ethical Internet research practice, ethical issues must be addressed at every stage of the research process, including designing the study, conducting the study, and disseminating the results.

Question 51

According to the principles for ethical Internet research practice, making ethical decisions is a deliberative process and an Internet researcher should consult others when making these decisions.

Question 52

Internet research that makes use of existing chat rooms, online communities, and e-mail groups poses no more ethical concerns than offline research.

Question 53

Unlike research using human participants, research using animal subjects does not require review and approval by an institutional committee before being carried out.

Question 54

Plagiarism is the most serious form of research fraud.

Question 55

Research fraud can arise from scientific elitism.

Question 56

According to Uri Simonsohn of the University of Pennsylvania, it is easy to detect fraud using raw data, and he advocates for posting raw data publically.

Question 57

The Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) program includes educational experiences centering on issues such as research misconduct, responsible authorship, and peer review.

Question 58

Scientists should be discouraged from reporting research fraud because their careers may be threatened.

Question 59

The Office of Research Integrity (ORI) suggests that whistleblowers are a crucial component in the fight against misconduct in science.

Question 60

Discuss the evolution of ethical principles for research with human participants.

Question 61

Outline the major points presented in the most recent version of the APA guidelines developed for using human participants in research.

Question 62

Describe the three basic principles of the Belmont Report that apply to all research with human participants.

Question 63

Imagine that you are a member of an IRB and have to review a proposal for an experiment that uses human participants. With specific reference to the APA ethical guidelines, what specific points would you consider to ensure that the participants are being treated ethically?

Question 64

What kinds of Internet research pose ethical problems not covered particularly well by traditional ethical guidelines? Describe the ethical issues that arise when entering an online forum to study the interactions among the participants.

Question 65

Describe the principles listed in the 2012 American Psychological Association (APA) ethical code for the care and use of animal subjects.

Question 66

Discuss the problem of fraud in science, including its definition, prevalence, and possible solutions.

Question 67

In the context of detecting and dealing with research misconduct, list the steps that journals can take to help fight research fraud as suggested by Cate et al. (2013).