Chapter 14: Research Ethics & Chapter 15: Conclusion: Managing Uncertainty in Psychological Research

1. Which of the following is true about the relationship between scientific research and society? [TY14.1]

  1. Science exists outside society.
  2. Ethical principles are generally imposed by governments on psychologists against their will.
  3. Only scientists should decide what is ethical or not about research.
  4. Decisions about research ethics are always a matter of personal choice.
  5. None of the above.

Answer: E

2. Which of the following should ethical research with humans involve? [TY14.2]

  1. Informed consent on the part of the participants where possible.
  2. Debriefing.
  3. Minimization of research risk.
  4. Justification of invasive procedures.
  5. All of the above.

Answer: No answer given

3. Which of the following is true about ethical research using animals? [TY14.3]

  1. It must ensure that discomfort to animals is minimized and harm only occurs where essential.
  2. Ethics are not a major issue because participants are not deceived.
  3. Because it is such a controversial topic, the issues it raises are only worth discussing in relation to medical research.
  4. It is not really relevant to psychology.
  5. None of the above.

Answer: A

4. Imagine that you are conducting a psychological experiment that has been approved by your institutional ethics committee and two participants object to answering some questions which they consider to be too personal. As a result, they decide they want to cease participating in the experiment. What are their responsibilities in this case? [TY14.4]

  1. To complete the experimental session because you would not ask personal questions unless they were really important for science.
  2. To explain to you why they wish to leave so that you can conduct debriefing.
  3. The participants have no responsibilities, they can leave at any time.
  4. To report you to the institutional ethics committee.
  5. To discuss your experiment with other students.

Answer: C

5. Informed consent means that researchers should tell participants about which of the following before they agree to participate in research? [TY14.5]

  1. The hypotheses.
  2. Anything that is likely to affect the participants’ decision to participate in the research.
  3. Details of any deception.
  4. The independent variable.
  5. Whether the experiment involves a placebo.

Answer: B

6. Which of the following statements about Milgram’s obedience-to-authority studies is (are) true?   [TY14.6]

  1. They violated the American Psychological Association’s standards at the time because they used poor debriefing procedures.
  2. They led to important developments in ethical principles in psychological research.
  3. They have been criticized for putting participants at risk of harm.
  4. Both (b) and (c).
  5. They used inadequate follow-up procedures.

Answer: D

7. Which of the following statements is true?

  1. Ethical considerations are only relevant in experimental research.
  2. Ethical considerations are only relevant in survey research.
  3. Ethical considerations are more relevant in experimental research than survey research.
  4. Ethical considerations are more relevant in survey research than experimental research.
  5. None of the above (i.e., all are false).

Answer: E

8. Which of the following statements is true?

  1. Everyone today accepts that Milgram’s research was unethical.
  2. Everyone today accepts that Milgram’s research was ethical.
  3. There is as less debate about the ethics of Milgram’s research today than when it was first conducted.
  4. Milgram had no regard for ethical issues.
  5. None of the above (i.e., all are false)

Answer: E

9. Which of the following statements is true?

  1. The goal of psychological research is often to minimize statistical uncertainty and create methodological uncertainty.
  2. The goal of psychological research is often to create statistical uncertainty and measure methodological uncertainty.
  3. The goal of psychological research is often to measure statistical uncertainty and reduce methodological uncertainty.
  4. The goal of psychological research is often to create statistical uncertainty and reduce methodological uncertainty.
  5. The goal of psychological research is often to reduce statistical uncertainty and create methodological uncertainty.

Answer: C

10. Which of the following statements is true?

  1. Statistical and methodological uncertainty are the only forms of uncertainty good researchers need to worry about.
  2. Ethical uncertainty has no place in good psychological research.
  3. Research always progresses by attempting to reduce as much uncertainty as possible.
  4. Scientific revolutions are often associated with the introduction of uncertainty into the research process.
  5. Uncertainty in general has no place in psychological research — it is a sign of weakness and failure.

Answer: D

11. “The ethical principle that research participants should be told enough about a piece of research to be able to make a decision about whether to participate in it.” Which research principle is this a glossary definition of?

  1. Informed consent.
  2. Revelation management.
  3. Expectation management.
  4. Participant decision-making.
  5. Deconcealment.

Answer: A

12. “Ensuring that in the research process individual participants cannot be identified. This often means making sure that responses are anonymous.” What research principle is this a glossary definition of?

  1. Deception.
  2. Concealment.
  3. Confidentiality.
  4. Subject-incognito.
  5. The experimental code of silence.

Answer: C

13. “An ethical principle which guarantees the right of all human participants to cease taking part in research at any time.” Which ethical principle is this a glossary definition of?

  1. Freedom of movement.
  2. Freedom of association.
  3. Democratic contract.
  4. Psychological contract.
  5. Discontinuing participation.

Answer: E

14. “The possibility of harm to participants, usually in the form of long-term negative effects.” Which ethical construct is this a glossary definition of?

  1. Research harm.
  2. Research risk.
  3. Participant stress.
  4. Relevance-sensitivity trade-off
  5. The law of unintended consequences.

Answer: B

15. “Research procedures which lead to changes in participants.” Which construct is this a glossary definition of?

  1. Experimental design.
  2. Experimental manipulation.
  3. Experimental procedures.
  4. Invasive procedures.
  5. Invasive protocols.

Answer: D