Chapter 8: Research Ethics

Question 1

The six (6) reasons of why it is important to have ethics in research.

Answer 1

1. it is the right thing to do.
2. Protects research participants.
3. Provides advocates for research participants.
4. Preserves credibility, trust, and accountability.
5. Reduces liabilities, wasted time, and resources.
6. Turns useless, harmful, and worthless into useful, helpful, and worthy.

Question 2

In the informed consent to a research, psychologists must inform participants about these eight (8) things, which are?

Answer 2

1. The purpose of the research, expected duration, and procedures.
2. The right to decline to participate and withdraw from the research once participation has begun.
3. The foreseeable consequences of declining or withdrawing.
4. The reasonable foreseeable factors that may be expected to influence their willingness to participate such as potential risks, discomfort, or adverse effects.
5. Any prospective research benefits.
6. Limits of confidentiality.
7. Incentives for participation.
8. Whom to contact for questions about the research and research participants’ rights.

Question 3

Psychologists conducting intervention research involving the use of experimental treatments must clarify these five (5) statements to participants at the outset of the research.

Answer 3

1. The experimental nature of the treatment.
2. The services that will or will not be available to the control group(s) if appropriate.
3. The means by which assignment to treatment and control groups will be made.
4. Available treatment alternatives if an individual does not wish to participate in the research or wishes to withdraw once a study has begun.
5. Compensation for or monetary costs of participating including, if appropriate, whether reimbursement from the participant or a third-party payor will be sought.

Question 4

Psychologists obtain informed consent from research participants prior to recording their voices or images for data collection unless either of these two (2) conditions apply.

Answer 4

1. The research consists solely of naturalistic observations in public places, and it is not anticipated that the recording will be used in a manner that could cause personal identification or harm, or
2. The research design includes deception, and consent for the use of the recording is obtained during debriefing.

Question 5

Psychologists may dispense with informed consent (may choose not to ask for informed consent) only when either of these two (2) conditions apply.

Answer 5

1. Where the research would not reasonably be assumed to create distress or harm.
2. Where otherwise permitted by law or federal or institutional regulations.

Question 6

Psychologists do not conduct a study involving deception unless both of these two (2) conditions apply.

Answer 6

1. The psychologists have determined that the use of deceptive techniques is justified by the study’s significant prospective scientific, educational, or applied value.
2. Effective nondeceptive alternative procedures are not feasible.

Question 7

This is where psychologists provide a prompt opportunity for participants to obtain appropriate information about the nature, results, and conclusions of the research.

Answer 7

Debriefing.

Question 8

The three (3) types of informed consent.

Answer 8

1. Assent.
2. Verbal consent.
3. Short form.

Question 9

A type of informed consent; refers to a child’s affirmative agreement to participate in research. If the participant is 7-17 years of age, this must be obtained.

This must be written at the appropriate reading level of the youngest participant in the age range and use simple terminology.

Answer 9

Assent.

Question 10

A type of informed consent; contains all elements of written consent, however, the participant has verbally read the elements and verbally agrees to join.

This type of consent may require corroborating documentation.

Answer 10

Verbal consent.

Question 11

A type of informed consent; generally used when there is a language barrier and an English REC-approved consent is orally translated in the native language of the research participant.

Answer 11

Short form.

Question 12

This is where the investigator explains the general purposes of the research, completely describes the manipulations so that any questions or misunderstanding may be removed, and questions about the procedure, effects, and other matters are answered.

Answer 12

Debriefing.

Question 13

This refers to minimizing known risks.

Answer 13

Removing harmful consequences.

Question 14

This refers to the researcher’s agreement to handle, store, and share research data to ensure that information obtained from and about research participants is not improperly divulged.

Answer 14

Confidentiality.

Question 15

The two (2) main categories of limitations in studies and research.

Answer 15

1. Limitations that result from the methodology.
2. Limitations that result from issues with the researchers.

Question 16

Four (4) common methodological limitations.

Answer 16

1. Lack of previous research studies on the topic.
2. Methods/instruments/techniques used to collect the data.
3. Issues with sample and selection.
4. Insufficient sample size for statistical measurement.

Question 17

Three (3) common limitations of the researchers.

Answer 17

1. Limited access to data.
2. Time constraints.
3. Conflicts arising from cultural bias and other personal issues.

Question 18

This is a professional piece of writing that describes your research to some prospective audience.

Answer 18

Research summary.