Deck 4: Ethical Guidelines for Psychology Research

Question 1

In considering whether research is ethical,which of the following are balanced against each other?

A) Inconvenience to participants versus benefit to the researcher
B) Time investment of the study versus complexity of the study
C) Importance of the research versus financial cost to conduct the study
D) Risk to participants versus value of the knowledge gained
E) None of the above

Answer 1

Risk to participants versus value of the knowledge gained

Question 2

Which of the following ethical violations proposed by the Belmont Report was NOT committed in the Tuskegee Study?

A) Participants were harmed.
B) Participants were not treated respectfully.
C) Participants were not treated by actual doctors.
D) Participants were from a disadvantaged social group.
E) All of the violations above were committed.

Answer 2

Participants were not treated by actual doctors.

Question 3

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. Dr.Kline is deciding whether he needs to give participants a reason for waking them up several times during the night.He knows that he cannot tell them the real reason,but he is unsure whether he should deceive them (give them a false reason why he is waking them up)or provide them with no cover story at all.Which of the following issues should be considered most heavily when deciding whether or not to use deception?

A) Whether his IRB will approve the use of deception
B) Whether he can create a convincing story that his participants will believe
C) Whether he can conduct the study just as well without deception
D) Whether his participants will be angry when they find out he used deception
E) All of the above are equally important in making this decision

Answer 3

Whether he can conduct the study just as well without deception

Question 4

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. As a psychologist who primarily does research,Dr.Kline is most concerned with which APA standard of ethics?

A) 2
B) 4
C) 6
D) 8
E) 10

Question 5

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. Dr.Kline plans to tell his participants that the reason he is waking them up during the night is to recalibrate the EEG machine.This would be an example of which of the following?

A) Deception through omission
B) Deception through commission
C) Deception through permission
D) Deception through exception
E) None of the above

Question 6

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. Imagine that Dr.Kline is a clinical psychologist who volunteers his time at a local prison counseling several inmates.Because of his connections there,he is considering using prisoners as his participants.Why is this choice potentially problematic?

A) According to the Belmont Report, prisoners are entitled to special protection.
B) Since he works at the prison, participants may feel there will be negative consequences if they do not participate.
C) Prisoners are unable to give informed consent.
D) Both a and b are potentially problematic.
E) All of the above are potentially problematic.

Question 7

The aim of the Tuskegee Study was to examine which disease?

A) Syphilis
B) Cancer
C) Tuberculosis
D) Smallpox
E) None of the above

Question 8

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. Dr.Kline asks his participants to provide informed consent.Doing this is adhering to which principle of the Belmont Report?

A) The Principle of Beneficence
B) The Principle of Justice
C) The Principle of Fidelity
D) The Principle of Integrity
E) The Principle of Respect for Persons

Question 9

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. Dr.Kline suspects that the people who will most benefit from his study are high school and college students,who are asked to perform cognitive functions in various states of sleep deprivation.Given this information,what type of participants should Dr.Kline recruit for his study?

A) People with a history of sleep deprivation
B) Children from a local daycare center
C) Students from a community college
D) Patients from Dr. Kline's clinical psychology practice
E) All of the above would be acceptable

Question 10

The need to balance the potential costs and benefits to participants taking part in a research study is done to address which principle of the Belmont Report?

A) The Principle of Respect for Persons
B) The Principle of Justice
C) The Principle of Beneficence
D) The Principle of Fidelity
E) The Principle of Integrity

Question 11

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. Imagine that Dr.Kline is a clinical psychologist who volunteers his time at a local prison counseling several inmates.Because of his connections there,he is considering using prisoners as his participants.The institutional review board (IRB)that reviews his committee must have which of the following as a member?

A) A prisoner advocate
B) A criminal justice professor
C) The prison warden
D) A clinical psychologist
E) A prisoner

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT an example of coercion?

A) A researcher hinting to participants that their employer will be told if they do not participate
B) A researcher offering 3 points of extra credit to college students to participate in a study
C) A researcher offering homeless participants $1,000 to participate in a study
D) All of the above are examples of coercion
E) None of the above are examples of coercion

Question 13

According to the Belmont Report,which of the following groups of people is entitled to special protection?

A) College students
B) Members of minority racial groups
C) Parents
D) Immigrants
E) None of the above

Question 14

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. Dr.Kline plans to use deception in his study and is thinking about a debriefing session.Which of the following is true of the debriefing?

A) Dr. Kline only needs to invite participants who were troubled by the study to the debriefing session.
B) Because his study has potential medical applications, the use of a debriefing session is optional.
C) During the debriefing, Dr. Kline only needs to tell the participants that there was deception.
D) Participants must be told the reasons for the deception.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 15

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. Dr.Kline's decision about the type of participants to recruit should be informed by which of the following principles of the Belmont Report?

A) The Principle of Fidelity
B) The Principle of Integrity
C) The Principle of Respect for Persons
D) The Principle of Beneficence
E) The Principle of Justice

Question 16

The belief that the participants in a research study should be representative of the type of people who would also benefit from the findings of the research stems from which principle of the Belmont Report?

A) The Principle of Justice
B) The Principle of Respect for Persons
C) The Principle of Beneficence
D) The Principle of Fidelity
E) The Principle of Integrity

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT true of the Belmont Report?

A) It was written at the request of the U.S. Congress.
B) It was created in 1976.
C) It was written in response to medical experiments performed in Nazi-occupied Europe.
D) It yielded three guiding principles of ethical research.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 18

Which of the following events did NOT occur in the Tuskegee Study?

A) Researchers told participants they were receiving treatment even though they were not.
B) Participants in the study were given/infected with the disease.
C) Participants were not told they had been infected with the disease.
D) Researchers prevented participants from seeking treatment.
E) All of the above occurred in the study.

Question 19

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. Upon receiving IRB approval,Dr.Kline trusts his graduate student to conduct the study.However,his graduate student does not conduct the study and instead provides Dr.Kline with invented results that support his hypotheses.This is known as which of the following?

A) Data fabrication
B) Data falsification
C) Plagiarism
D) Intellectual property destruction
E) None of the above

Question 20

RESEARCH STUDY 4.1
Dr. Kline is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kline is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter R.E.M. sleep and then he will wake them. After 1 minute of being awake, he plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter R.E.M. sleep again, he wakes them up again and follows the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire 8-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.
Refer to Research Study 4.1 above to answer the following question. To address the Belmont Principle of Beneficence,Dr.Kline would need to ask which of the following questions?

A) Are the people in my study going to benefit as much as the people not in my study?
B) What can I do to decrease the potential harm experienced by my participants?
C) Can the participants in my study give full, informed consent?
D) Am I trained sufficiently to conduct this study?
E) Have I completed all the steps required by my Institutional Review Board?

Question 21

In addition to the three principles derived from the Belmont Report,which of the following two principles were added to the principle put forth by the American Psychological Association?

A) The Principle of Consent and Honesty
B) The Principle of Reliability and Validity
C) The Principle of Honor and Accountability/Commitment
D) The Principle of Integrity and Fidelity/Responsibility
E) None of the above

Question 22

In which of the following situations would written informed consent not necessarily be required?

A) An observational study that measures walking speed of people entering and exiting buildings
B) An anonymous study that measures the relationship between time spent grocery shopping and money spent on groceries
C) A confidential study examining income level and voting behavior
D) Neither a nor b need written informed consent
E) None of the studies above would require written informed consent

Question 23

State the three principles of the Belmont Report and explain how the Tuskegee Study violated each of them.

Question 24

Which of the following has NOT been used as a defense of animal research by animal researchers?

A) Animal research has resulted in many benefits to both animals and humans.
B) Animal research requires less research funding than human research.
C) Animal researchers are in favor of protecting and even enhancing animal welfare.
D) Animal researchers continue to reduce the number of animals needed for animal research.
E) All of the above have been used as defenses.

Question 25

Which of the following is a reason that psychologists might fabricate or falsify their data?

A) They feel pressure to publish findings.
B) They are convinced of the correctness of their own hypotheses.
C) Research success has implications for promotion within their department.
D) Both a and b are reasons.
E) All of the above are reasons.

Question 26

All of the following are true of IRBs in the United States EXCEPT:

A) They can be found in settings other than colleges and universities
B) They are mandated by federal law
C) They must have a psychologist as a member
D) They must have at least five members
E) They tend to have detailed applications for researchers to complete

Question 27

What is the difference between data that is collected anonymously and data that is collected confidentially?

A) Anonymous research collects participants' names but separates them from the data; confidential research does not collect participants' names.
B) Confidential research collects participants' names but separates them from the data; anonymous research does not collect participants' names.
C) Anonymous research collects sensitive information about participants (e.g., sexual behavior, illegal behavior); confidential research collects nonsensitive information about participants.
D) Confidential research collects sensitive information about participants (e.g., sexual behavior, illegal behavior); anonymous research collects nonsensitive information about participants.
E) Anonymous research and confidential research are the same thing.

Question 28

RESEARCH STUDY 4.2
Dr. Van Ryan is a social psychologist who is curious about how clothing affects people's perceptions. Specifically, she is curious how women who wear high heels are perceived in the workplace. Does the addition of height make co-workers take them more seriously? Are women who wear high heels seen as less professional? She is considering using an experimental design where some participants are instructed to wear high heels to work for a week and some participants are instructed to wear flat shoes. Each day of the week, Dr. Van Ryan will have the women's employer and co-workers rate how competent and professional the female participant is.
Refer to Research Study 4.2 above to answer the following question.
What is the Principle of Beneficence? Explain how the Principle of Beneficence needs to be addressed by Dr.Van Ryan as she considers conducting her study.

Question 29

A local committee that reviews research that is conducted on animals is known as __________.

A) An IACUC
B) An AIRB
C) An AWA
D) An IRB
E) PETA

Question 30

RESEARCH STUDY 4.2
Dr. Van Ryan is a social psychologist who is curious about how clothing affects people's perceptions. Specifically, she is curious how women who wear high heels are perceived in the workplace. Does the addition of height make co-workers take them more seriously? Are women who wear high heels seen as less professional? She is considering using an experimental design where some participants are instructed to wear high heels to work for a week and some participants are instructed to wear flat shoes. Each day of the week, Dr. Van Ryan will have the women's employer and co-workers rate how competent and professional the female participant is.
Refer to Research Study 4.2 above to answer the following question.
Which of the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association (APA)guidelines is most important to psychologists conducting research? Name two components of this standard that Dr.Van Ryan must consider as she plans her study.

Question 31

Explain why the Belmont Principle of Respect for Persons requires participants to provide informed consent.

Question 32

The American Psychological Association's ethical guidelines have _________ principles and __________ standards.

A) 3, 10
B) 3, 8
C) 3, 5
D) 5, 10
E) 5, 8

Question 33

Which of the following is the primary goal of debriefing?

A) To prevent researchers from being sued
B) To give participants insight into the nature of psychological science
C) To inform participants about the presence and purpose of deception in a study
D) Both b and c
E) All of the above

Question 34

Prior to research being conducted,a research proposal must be submitted for IRB approval in all of the following cases EXCEPT:

A) An anonymous survey about attitudes toward college athletics
B) An anonymous study looking at gang behavior in recent parolees
C) A confidential study examining sleep patterns in newborns
D) A confidential study examining sexual behavior in mentally handicapped individuals
E) All of the above must be approved by an IRB

Question 35

Why is plagiarism a violation of ethics?

A) Because it violates an APA standard
B) Because it violates a Belmont Principle
C) Because it is akin to stealing
D) Both a and c
E) All of the above

Question 36

Which of the following is true of students' views of deception and harm in research studies?

A) Students usually are tolerant of studies that use major deception.
B) Students are not tolerant of any degree of deception.
C) Students do not find deception to be stressful.
D) Students find the negative effects of deception to be worsened by debriefing.
E) None of the above are true.

Question 37

When conducting animal research,which guideline states that alternatives to animal research should be considered?

A) Refinement
B) Reduction
C) Replacement
D) Recycling
E) Resistance

Question 38

In addition to being an ethical violation,why are data falsification and fabrication problematic?

A) They are impossible to discover.
B) They impede scientific progress.
C) They are federal crimes.
D) Both a and b are problematic.
E) All of the above are problematic.

Question 39

RESEARCH STUDY 4.2
Dr. Van Ryan is a social psychologist who is curious about how clothing affects people's perceptions. Specifically, she is curious how women who wear high heels are perceived in the workplace. Does the addition of height make co-workers take them more seriously? Are women who wear high heels seen as less professional? She is considering using an experimental design where some participants are instructed to wear high heels to work for a week and some participants are instructed to wear flat shoes. Each day of the week, Dr. Van Ryan will have the women's employer and co-workers rate how competent and professional the female participant is.
Refer to Research Study 4.2 above to answer the following question.
What is the Principle of Justice? Explain how the Principle of Justice needs to be addressed by Dr.Van Ryan as she considers conducting her study.

Question 40

In which of the following ways is an IACUC different from an IRB?

A) IACUCs are optional at universities conducting animal research; IRBs are mandatory at universities conducting human research.
B) Seeking permission from an IACUC is recommended but not required for animal research; IRB approval is required for human research.
C) IACUCs monitor the care and treatment of animals throughout the study; IRBs do not monitor the care of human participants throughout the study.
D) IRBs must follow federal guidelines, but IACUCs do not have federal guidelines to follow.
E) All of the above are differences between IACUCs and IRBs.

Question 41

State the five ethical principles proposed by the APA.How do these principles differ from the Belmont Principles?

Question 42

Dr.Johnson is planning on conducting a study in which he observes the ways people approach each other in bars.He plans to sit at a local bar and listen to the ways men introduce themselves to women and the ways women introduce themselves to men.To avoid detection,he plans to sit at the bar and write down the information he collects on cocktail napkins.Dr.Johnson concludes that he does not need to have participants sign a written informed consent.Explain the concept of informed consent and why Dr.Johnson does not need to collect informed consent in this study.

Question 43

RESEARCH STUDY 4.2
Dr. Van Ryan is a social psychologist who is curious about how clothing affects people's perceptions. Specifically, she is curious how women who wear high heels are perceived in the workplace. Does the addition of height make co-workers take them more seriously? Are women who wear high heels seen as less professional? She is considering using an experimental design where some participants are instructed to wear high heels to work for a week and some participants are instructed to wear flat shoes. Each day of the week, Dr. Van Ryan will have the women's employer and co-workers rate how competent and professional the female participant is.
Refer to Research Study 4.2 above to answer the following question.
After conducting his study,a colleague accuses Dr.Van Ryan of deleting some of the data that does not match her hypothesis.If this is true,in what type of research misconduct did Dr.Van Ryan engage? Why is this behavior a problem for the science in general?

Question 44

What are the two issues that need to be balanced in conducting ethical research?

Question 45

What is an IACUC? Name one way it is similar to an IRB and one way it differs from an IRB.

Question 46

Under what conditions is debriefing necessary? What should be included in a debriefing?

Question 47

What are the three primary arguments provided in favor of animal research?

Question 48

Explain the difference between deception through omission and deception through commission in a research study.Why would a researcher want to deceive his/her participants? Why should researchers be careful about using deception?

Question 49

What is plagiarism? Explain why plagiarism is an ethical violation.

Question 50

What is the primary responsibility of an Institutional Review Board (IRB),where are IRBs found,and who sits on such a board?