Week 5 - Ethics in Psychology

Question 1

What are the core ethical principles of psychology according to the Belmont report?

Hint: 3

Answer 1

Respect for persons - Individuals potentially involved in research should be treated as autonomous agents

Benefice - Precautions to protect participants from harm and ensure their well-being
Assess risks and benefits of the study (researchers), consider how the community may benefit or be harmed

Justice - Fair balance between the kinds of people who participate in study and the people who benefit from it, Ppl involved represent the people who may benefit from it

Question 2

What is the primary way to ensure respect for persons as autonomous agents? what are the specifics of this?

Answer 2

Informed Consent; each person learns about research projects, weighs the risks and benefits, and decides on whether to participate or not

Not necessary to give all the details of the study - some cases = not needed at all
ex: public places, no identifiable characteristics

Question 3

What are two ways to ensure benefice in a study?

Answer 3

Anonymous Study; researchers do not collect identifying info

Confidential Study; researchers collect some identifying info, but prevent disclosure

Question 4

What are the primary risks involved in psych studies? What are the potential benefits?

Answer 4

Risks - physical harm, psychological harm, social/economic harm

Benefits - To participate, to society

Question 5

Give examples of: psychological and social/economic risk

Answer 5

1. inducing negative emotions (mock presentations), questions about sensitive topics and awkward situations
2. Company wide studies, and sensitive data (if leaked, would impact people’s opinions of participants)

Question 6

What are the two ways to employ deception in a study? define deception first

Answer 6

Withholding or lying about the details of a study
1. Through omission (leaving out details)
2. Through commission (lying)
Deception should only be used if it’s absolutely necessary and participants must be debriefed

Question 7

What are the primary guidelines for animal research?

Answer 7

Replacement: researchers should try to find alternatives to animals in research where possible
Refinement: researchers must reduce or eliminate animal distress
Reduction: researchers should use as few animal subjects as possible

Question 8

What is the ethics process at Carleton?

Answer 8

Apply for ethics approval with CUREB-B
Committee determines whether study exceeds minimal risk
Delegated review (takes much longer)
Study approved (fix any minor revisions)
During study, if issues arise they are immediately reported

Question 9

If a researcher invents data to fit their hypothesis, this is called…?

Answer 9

Data Fabrication

Question 10

If a researcher influences a study’s results by subjectively deleting observations, this is called…?

Answer 10

Data Falsification