M1L7: Ethical Standards in Human Participants

Question 1

When conducting research with human (or nonhuman) subjects, the researcher is ultimately responsible for the welfare of the subjects.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The researcher is not responsible for protecting the participants from harm.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The ethical guidelines we use today have their basis in the _________ ____.

Answer 3

Nuremberg Code

Question 4

This code lists 10 principles, developed in 1948, for the Nazi war crimes trials following World War II.
The Nazis killed and abused millions of Jewish people, many of whom died in the name of “research.”

Answer 4

Nuremberg Code

Question 5

Nazi doctors used many Jewish people for inhumane medical research projects that involved determining the effects on humans of viruses, poisons, toxins, and drugs.

Answer 5

True

Question 6

In 1963, _______ _______’s paper detailing some of his research on obedience to authority brought ethical considerations to the forefront once again.

Answer 6

Stanley Milgram

Question 7

Milgram was interested in whether the teachers would continue to deliver stronger and stronger electric shocks given that (1) the learner appeared to be in moderate to extreme discomfort, depending on the level of shock administered, and
(2) the experimenter repeatedly ordered the teachers to continue administering the electric shocks.

Answer 7

In reality, the learner was not receiving electric shocks; however, the teachers believed that he was.
(The learner was really an accomplice of the experimenter)

Milgram found that nearly two-thirds of the teachers obeyed the experimenter and continued to deliver the supposed electric shocks up to the maximum level available.

Question 8

In Milgram’s study, each participant was assigned the role of “teacher” and given the responsibility of teaching a series of words to another individual, called the “learner.”

The teachers were told that the study was designed to investigate the effects of punishment on learning. Thus, they were instructed to deliver an electric shock each time the learner made a mistake.

Answer 8

The shocks were not of a constant voltage level but increased in voltage for each mistake made.

Because the learner (who was located in a separate room from the teacher) was working for the experimenter, he purposely made mistakes.

Question 9

typically made up of several faculty members, usually from diverse backgrounds, and members of the community who are charged with evaluating research projects in which human subjects are used

Answer 9

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Question 10

oversee all federally funded research involving human subjects

Answer 10

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Question 11

The evaluation process involves completing an ___________ ____ in which the researcher details the:
1)
2)
3)

Answer 11

application form;
1) method to be used in the study
2) risks or benefits in related to study participation
3) means of maintaining subjects’ confidentiality

Question 12

The purpose of the IRB is not necessarily to evaluate the scientific merit of the research study but rather to evaluate the treatment of subjects to ensure that the study meets established ethical guidelines.

Answer 12

True

Question 13

is given to individuals before they participate in a research study to inform them of the general nature of the study and to obtain their consent to participate in the study

Answer 13

Informed consent form

Question 14

typically describes the nature and purpose of the study

Answer 14

Informed consent form

Question 15

To avoid compromising the outcome of the study, the researcher will inform subjects about the expected results.

Answer 15

False

Question 16

Informed consent forms often offer only broad, general statements about the nature and purpose of a study

Answer 16

True

Question 17

In cases where deception is used in the study, the informed consent form, for obvious reasons, tells subjects nothing about the true nature and purpose of the study.

Answer 17

True

Question 18

The subjects are also informed about:
1) what they will be asked to do as part of the study
2) researchers’ efforts to maintain confidentiality with respect to their performance

Answer 18

True

Question 19

The subjects do not have the right to refuse to participate in the study and the right to change their mind about participation at any point during the study.

Answer 19

False

Question 20

Researchers should keep informed consent forms on file for 2 to 3 years after completion of a study and should also give a copy of the form to each subject.

Answer 20

True

Question 21

If subjects in a study are under 18 years of age, then informed consent must be given by a?

Answer 21

parent or legal guardian

Question 22

Typically, subjects in a study are classified as being either ______ or _____________?

Answer 22

“at risk” or “ at minimal risk”

Question 23

Studies in which subjects are asked to fill out paper-and-pencil tests, such as personality inventories or depression inventories, are classified as?

Answer 23

minimal risk

Question 24

Other examples of studies in which subjects are classified as at minimal risk include most research on memory processes, problem-solving abilities, and reasoning.

Answer 24

True

Question 25

If the subjects in a study are classified as at minimal risk, then an informed consent is not always mandatory. However, it is probably best to obtain informed consent anyway.

Answer 25

True

Question 26

The subjects in the Tuskegee study and in Milgram’s (1963) obedience study would be classified as?

Answer 26

at risk

Question 27

Studies in which the subjects are at risk for physical or emotional harm fit the definition of subjects being at risk.

When proposing a study in which subjects are classified as at risk, the researcher and the members of the IRB must determine whether the benefits of the knowledge to be gained from the study outweigh the risk to subjects.

Answer 27

True

Question 28

involves lying to subjects about the true nature of a study because knowing the true nature of the study might affect their performance

Answer 28

Deception

Question 29

Deception can be used, when necessary, without violating ethical standards.

Answer 29

True

Question 30

means providing information about the true purpose of the study as soon after the completion of data collection as possible

Answer 30

Debriefing

Question 31

Debriefing is not necessary in all research studies, except those that involve deception.

Answer 31

False

Question 32

Through debriefing, subjects learn more about the benefits of the research to them and to society in general, and the researcher can alleviate any discomfort the subjects may be experiencing.

Answer 32

True

Question 33

During debriefing, the researcher should not try to bring subjects back to the same state of mind they were in before they participated in the study.

Answer 33

False

Question 34

In the Milgram study, for example, debriefing entailed informing subjects of the true nature of the study (obedience to authority) as soon after completion of the study as possible

Answer 34

True

Question 35

Ethical Standards in Human Participants include:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Answer 35

1) Institutional Review Boards
2) Informed Consent
3) Risk
4) Deception
5) Debriefing