Deck 3: Ethics: Making Ethical Decisions

Question 1

The belief that ethical decisions should be based on acting in accordance with one's own self-interest is called:

A) the utilitarian perspective.
B) egoism.
C) the altruistic perspective.
D) beneficence.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following identifies the concept of beneficence?

A) fairness in determining who will benefit and who will be put at risk by research
B) freedom of participants to make their own decisions about participating in research
C) an ethical obligation to improve the well-being of others as much as possible
D) a mandate prohibiting deception in research studies

Answer 2

C

Question 3

All of the following accurately describe the nature of the Belmont Report EXCEPT:

A) a report that outlines ethical principles to follow when conducting research involving humans.
B) a report that outlines ethical principles to follow when conducting research involving animals.
C) a report that outlines ethical principles to follow when conducting research involving children.
D) a report that outlines ethical principles to follow when conducting research involving prisoners.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A major goal in research is to uphold nonmaleficence, which addresses the:

A) minimization or elimination of risks to study participants.
B) maximization of risks to study participants.
C) maintenance of fairness in determining who will benefit and be put at risk by research.
D) participants' ability to freely make their own decisions about participating in research.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT one of the principles outlined in the Belmont Report?

A) beneficence
B) respect
C) justice
D) integrity

Question 6

How many principles are outlined in the Belmont Report?

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five

Question 7

Which of the following most accurately describes the altruistic perspective?

A) the belief that ethical decisions should be based on helping in a way that provides the greatest personal benefit
B) the belief that ethical decisions should be based on acting in accordance with one's own self-interest
C) the belief that ethical decisions should be based on helping without personal benefit
D) the belief that ethical decisions should be based on doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people

Question 8

Which of the following ethical principles is the most central to the utilitarian perspective of ethical understanding?

A) beneficence
B) integrity
C) respect
D) justice

Question 9

Which of the following is the foundation of most ethical decisions in psychology?

A) self-interest versus what is good for others
B) tension between potential costs and benefits
C) objective versus subjective understanding of truth
D) the dichotomy between good and evil

Question 10

Which of the following best describes the concept of the utilitarian perspective?

A) the belief that ethical decisions should be based on doing the least amount of good for people
B) the belief that ethical decisions should be based on acting in accordance with one's own self-interest
C) the belief that ethical decisions should be based on helping without personal benefit
D) the belief that ethical decisions should be based on doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people

Question 11

The belief that ethical decisions should be based on acting in accordance with one's own self-interest is known as _____, whereas the belief that ethical decisions should be based on helping without personal benefit is known as _____.

A) the utilitarian perspective; the altruistic perspective
B) egoism; the utilitarian perspective
C) the utilitarian perspective; egoism
D) egoism; the altruistic perspective

Question 12

Based on your understanding of beneficence, which of the following studies most clearly emphasizes the role of beneficence?

A) a social psychology study examining conformity
B) a developmental psychology study examining moral development in preschoolers
C) a health psychology study aimed at minimizing risk of cancer
D) a clinical psychology study examining dosage for anxiety medication

Question 13

Each of the following is a benefit that counts toward the cost-benefit analysis, EXCEPT:

A) participants gain knowledge about the research process.
B) participants may receive compensation for their time and effort.
C) results of the study may benefit society and/or the field of psychology.
D) the researcher may obtain personal gain from publishing the work.

Question 14

Researchers can assure _____ but cannot guarantee _____.

A) anonymity; confidentiality
B) anonymity; beneficence
C) confidentiality; anonymity
D) confidentiality; respect

Question 15

How many ethical guidelines are outlined by the American Psychological Association?

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five

Question 16

Ethical dilemmas in psychology are complex because:

A) there is often only one right answer.
B) there is often only one wrong answer.
C) the right answer often contradicts what would benefit the researcher.
D) there is neither a right answer nor a wrong answer.

Question 17

Emett is troubled with an ethical dilemma. Based on his personal experience and thoughts related to the dilemma, he determines that he must decide on the solution that brings the greatest good to the greatest number of people. Emett is utilizing which perspective?

A) egoism
B) the cost-benefit perspective
C) the altruistic perspective
D) the utilitarian perspective

Question 18

Researchers have an ethical obligation to improve the well-being of others to the highest degree possible. This is emphasized by which APA ethical principle?

A) freedom
B) respect
C) justice
D) beneficence

Question 19

Ethics are:

A) what a person should do.
B) what a person should not do.
C) the application of moral principles to help guide one's decisions and behavior.
D) abstract philosophical doctrines governing behavioral practices.

Question 20

Which of the following is true?

A) There are no ethical guidelines governing how far scientists can go in their pursuit of knowledge.
B) There are ethical guidelines governing how far scientists can go in their pursuit of knowledge, but they are based on each scientist's own moral compass.
C) There are ethical guidelines set forth by the Belmont Report detailing how far scientists can go in their pursuit of knowledge.
D) Scientists are not allowed to use any form of deception or harm when conducting studies.

Question 21

Given the personal and emotional nature of this type of harm, it is more difficult to recognize and understand its impact:

A) physical harm.
B) legal harm.
C) psychological harm.
D) economic harm.

Question 22

After collecting the data for his thesis project, Ephram places the master list of participants' names in a locked filing cabinet separate from where he keeps their associated data (e.g., surveys). Ephram stores his participant information in this way to maintain:

A) confidentiality.
B) respect.
C) justice.
D) informed consent.

Question 23

Which best describes the use of vulnerable populations in research?

A) They cannot be used for psychological research.
B) They can be used if researchers are able to demonstrate that potential benefits outweigh costs.
C) They can be used at any point because they are an important subset of the population that needs investigating.
D) They can only be used if they need medical attention.

Question 24

Imagine that you are a participant in a research study. As a participant you have the right to expect:

A) confidentiality.
B) compensation.
C) a reward.
D) deception.

Question 25

Noah is examining the effects of taking the medication Lactaid, which is for people who are lactose intolerant. Noah is curious if prolonged use of the medication increases tolerance of lactose. Noah randomly assigns lactose-intolerant participants to one of two groups. One group will ingest dairy but will be given a placebo pill (no Lactaid). Noah is aware that for these participants, ingesting dairy without Lactaid may result in digestive issues. Noah should be concerned about the:

A) psychological harm of his participants.
B) physical harm of his participants.
C) economic harm of his participants.
D) legal harm of his participants.

Question 26

If a research study requires that stress be induced in a group of participants, then the researchers:

A) must not be present during the stress induction.
B) must return participants to same or better physical and psychological state.
C) must ensure the presence of residual stress after the research study.
D) must believe the benefits outweigh the costs.

Question 27

Zimbardo's famous Stanford prison study involved student participants acting in the roles of prison guards and prisoners. The behavior of these students in both roles were observed closely, but due to the effects witnessed during this study it could not be replicated today. The Stanford prison study produced too much:

A) physical and legal harm.
B) psychological and financial harm.
C) psychological harm.
D) legal and economic harm.

Question 28

Milgram's classical and fundamental study on the power of obedience focused on whether participants would deliver harmful shocks to a confederate at the behest of the researcher. The participants were unaware that the shocks they delivered to the confederate were simulated. This study highlights the importance of taking into consideration the _____ of the participant related to their involvement in the study.

A) physical harm
B) legal harm
C) psychological harm
D) economic harm

Question 29

During the Tuskegee syphilis study, researchers never told the participants they had syphilis, nor did they treat any participants for their illness. This historical example highlights that the researchers involved ignored the cost of:

A) physical harm.
B) anonymity.
C) beneficence.
D) integrity.

Question 30

Which of the following best describes the concept of anonymity?

A) when the responses and behaviors of participants become public knowledge
B) when researchers use coding to separate participant names from data
C) a guarantee that individual responses cannot be linked to individual participants
D) the physical toll that study participation takes on the participants

Question 31

Random assignment of participants to conditions help to establish:

A) beneficence.
B) respect.
C) informed consent.
D) justice.

Question 32

Targeting studies toward _____ without appropriate informed consent represents a violation of justice.

A) adults
B) children
C) college students
D) females

Question 33

Eduard recently proposed a study to test commitment in romantic relationships. Six couples would be led to believe that their significant other may have been unfaithful in the relationship. As an objective reviewer of this study, which of the following would you be most concerned about?

A) psychological harm to participants
B) physical harm to participants
C) economic harm to participants
D) legal harm to participants

Question 34

When conducting a cost-benefit analysis, each of the following is a potential cost that must be considered, EXCEPT:

A) loss of confidentiality.
B) physical harm.
C) psychological harm.
D) beneficence.

Question 35

Which of the following is a likely result if all research were discontinued?

A) failing to find important information that will improve the human condition
B) loss of confidentiality of participants
C) psychological harm of the research
D) increase in egoism among society

Question 36

Anthony is evaluating an IRB protocol that details a social psychology study on conformity. The researcher would like to conduct his work in the county jail. A review of the IRB protocol reveals that the researcher anticipates providing compensation to the sheriff, rather than to the inmates who would be the participants. However, the inmates would be participating voluntarily. For which of the following principles would this protocol be most concerning?

A) justice
B) beneficence
C) respect for persons
D) equity

Question 37

Which type of harm is comprised of distress, concern, and lowered self-esteem?

A) physical harm
B) legal harm
C) psychological harm
D) economic harm

Question 38

Justice pertains to:

A) how researchers maintain confidentiality.
B) not coercing participation in the study.
C) fairness in who is used as study participants.
D) maximizing beneficial outcomes of research studies.

Question 39

Based on the discussions in the text, which of the following past studies resulted in the most significant physical harm to its participants?

A) Milgram's obedience study
B) the Stanford prison study
C) the Tuskegee syphilis study
D) Wendell Johnson's stuttering study

Question 40

Each of the following would be considered vulnerable populations, EXCEPT:

A) mental patients.
B) prisoners.
C) children.
D) college students.

Question 41

Beatrice needs ten more participants in order to complete her dissertation project. Because recruitment has slowed down, she decides to offer $100 to anyone willing to participate in her study. What principle has Beatrice violated?

A) justice
B) beneficence
C) respect for persons
D) equality

Question 42

Dr. John Watson's research with the baby known as Little Albert violated the principle of _____, because Albert's mother was Dr. Watson's employee and may have felt forced into allowing her son's participation.

A) respect for persons
B) beneficence
C) justice
D) equality

Question 43

An ethical research study should maximize _____ and minimize _____.

A) costs; risks
B) risks; benefits
C) benefits; risks
D) nonmaleficence; benefits

Question 44

How do you obtain consent from mentally impaired participants?

A) You can't conduct research on a participant who is mentally impaired.
B) Ask that individual personally.
C) Ask a parent or legal guardian for consent on that individual's behalf.
D) It is fine to conduct research on individuals who are mentally impaired without having consent.

Question 45

What is the Nuremberg Code?

A) a set of ethical principles specifying the need for beneficence, justice, and respect in research involving humans
B) the tendency for researchers to avoid publishing the results from experiments where there were no significant effects of the experimental manipulation
C) a group within each research institution that determines whether a proposed research project is ethical
D) a set of principles for human experimentation stating that the voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential

Question 46

A person who works with the experimenter to administer a study by pretending to be a participant is called a(n):

A) imposter.
B) confederate.
C) actor.
D) traitor.

Question 47

With regard to sensitive or harmful topics, like stealing, cheating, and aggression, the APA ethical considerations suggest that they:

A) cannot be investigated.
B) should be treated as any other topic.
C) require creativity to investigate.
D) do not need to adhere to the same ethical standards.

Question 48

Which of the following should happen first when testing a research question?

A) Conduct the study using an ethical research design.
B) Randomly assign participants to conditions.
C) Draw conclusions.
D) Perform a cost-benefit analysis.

Question 49

Seven-year-old Laila is participating in a study regarding the impact of ADHD medication on her academic performance. Laila will be administered a test of cognitive functioning and will meet monthly with researchers as part of the study protocol. Assent would be obtained from whom in this study?

A) pharmaceutical company
B) Laila
C) Laila's parents
D) researchers

Question 50

Dr. Lin is a health psychologist who is examining the impact of a medication on risk of heart attack. Approximately one year into her study she realizes that participants in her experimental condition are outliving participants in her control condition. Once she realizes that her treatment offers a life-sustaining benefit, what should she do?

A) She should end the study and administer the treatment to all participants.
B) She should continue the study but allow those in her control condition to leave the study if they would like.
C) She should end the study and withhold the treatment from both groups until the study can be replicated by another scientist who can verify her findings.
D) She should continue the study but let the control group know that they are being kept from the effective medical treatment being used in the experimental condition.

Question 51

Dr. Halpert is a reviewer for the IRB. He receives a research protocol that details a health psychology study in which participants are unknowingly injected with strains of chlamydia in order to investigate the optimal antibiotic treatment. What is likely her first concern?

A) a violation of the ethical principle of respect
B) the researcher's failure to maintain anonymity of participants
C) a violation of the principle of fidelity
D) that costs and rewards of the study are not divided fairly among representative samples of the population

Question 52

What is a confederate?

A) an accomplice of the experimenter
B) participants who have not given assent
C) participants in other studies
D) participants who do not know the purpose of a study

Question 53

To pass Professor Smith's class, his students must participate in his psychological study. If he makes no other options available to his students, then his actions are a violation of:

A) justice.
B) beneficence.
C) respect for persons.
D) equality.

Question 54

Autonomy means:

A) research must improve the well-being of others as much as possible.
B) promising that the identity of research participants will not be made public.
C) using other people's work without acknowledging that it is their work.
D) participants must freely make an informed decision about their participation in research.

Question 55

The difference between consent and assent is that:

A) consent can only be given by the participant.
B) assent can only be given by a parent or legal guardian on behalf of the participant.
C) consent is given by someone who does not have the ability to give assent themselves.
D) assent is given by someone who does not have the ability to give consent themselves.

Question 56

In an experiment, the cover story is:

A) completely true.
B) totally false.
C) a mixture of truth and deception.
D) developed based on information obtained from the literature search.

Question 57

Bella is conducting an online study and participants can complete her study without ever physically meeting with her. How might Bella obtain informed consent from her participants in this online environment?

A) Have a written informed consent form that participants must print, sign, and mail in.
B) Have no consent form, because online studies are ethical by nature.
C) Have participants indicate consent in the virtually environment.
D) Ask the parents of participants to submit written assent.

Question 58

Imagine that you are designing a study to investigate a sensitive phenomenon. Which of the following study designs would cause the most unnecessary harm?

A) randomly assigning half of the participants to personally encounter the sensitive phenomenon
B) studying the phenomenon in its natural habitat without interfering
C) having participants read secondhand accounts of the phenomenon rather than experiencing it themselves
D) having participants write about a past experience with the phenomenon rather than subjecting them re-experience it for the study

Question 59

Rules like "Participants have the right to skip questions," and "Participants can end the study at any point" demonstrate a researcher's adherence to which principle?

A) beneficence
B) respect for persons
C) equality
D) justice

Question 60

The Nuremberg Code was a direct result of:

A) the Tuskegee syphilis study.
B) the medical experiments conducted in prison camps during World War II.
C) the Milgram study on obedience.
D) the Zimbardo prison study.

Question 61

How might a research participant behave unethically?

A) by not disclosing the true purpose of the study
B) by failing to understand the research hypothesis
C) by not providing honest and truthful responses
D) by not showing up on time for the study

Question 62

Researchers must complete an IRB proposal:

A) every year to maintain their current ethical credentials.
B) every month to maintain their current ethical credentials.
C) for every research study they wish to conduct.
D) once at each research institution at which they work.

Question 63

What is the Institutional Review Board?

A) a governing body that reviews the ethical merit of all research with humans
B) a governing body that reviews the ethical merit of all research with animals
C) a governing body that reviews the capital investment of a study and determines whether it merits being conducted
D) a governing body that reviews whether studies are likely to achieve statistical significance

Question 64

An IRB protocol classified as "exempt" will likely:

A) be short in duration.
B) pose minimal risk.
C) utilize stressful psychological tests.
D) contain no known physical, emotional, psychological, or economic risk.

Question 65

IRB classifications include all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) exempt.
B) advanced.
C) expedited.
D) full review.

Question 66

When would participants receive the contact information to free counseling services provided by the research institution?

A) during participant recruitment
B) in the debriefing
C) when the study was published or presented
D) immediately after being randomly assigned to a condition

Question 67

Deception is often present in the:

A) cover story.
B) debriefing.
C) informed consent.
D) hypothesis.

Question 68

The biggest harm caused by participants who behave unethically, such as being dishonest, is:

A) not finding statistically significant results when a variable actually has an effect.
B) wasting the researcher's time and resources.
C) frustrating other research participants.
D) hurting science through the publication of potentially inaccurate results.

Question 69

If Felicia wants to conduct a research study with no known risk:

A) she does not need to file an IRB protocol.
B) she needs to file an IRB protocol for an exempt study.
C) she needs to file an IRB protocol for an expedited study.
D) she needs to file an IRB protocol for a full review.

Question 70

Dr. Lavoy is the chair of her university's IRB committee. She receives a protocol that describes a study on aggression. As part of the planned study, primates will receive electrical shocks until they exhibit some form of aggressive behavior. Not only is Dr. Lavoy concerned about the safety of the primates, but she is also likely to refer this study to which committee for review?

A) APA
B) SEPA
C) PETA
D) IACUC

Question 71

Malcolm is a researcher who wants to ensure that he protects the confidentiality of his participants. Which of the following would increase the confidentiality for participants in his study?

A) separating the signed informed consent forms from the data
B) separating the debriefing forms from the data
C) storing the signed informed consent forms with the data
D) storing the debriefing forms with the data

Question 72

What does IRB stand for?

A) Institutional Review Board
B) Internal Revenue Board
C) Internal Review Board
D) International Revision Board

Question 73

With regard to participants' emotional responses to the research study, the debriefing tells participants that:

A) they overreacted to a hypothetical situation.
B) they underreacted as a result of the research lab being an unnatural setting.
C) any feelings they had during the study were natural.
D) their emotional responses were unusual and merit further investigation.

Question 74

Each of the following helps to maintain participant confidentiality, EXCEPT:

A) using a coding system to assign personal identification numbers to the data.
B) separating the signed informed consent forms from the data.
C) not asking participants to put their name on their experimental rating forms.
D) discussing a specific individual's data by name in a subsequent presentation or publication.

Question 75

The difference between exempt and expedited review is that:

A) one requires an IRB protocol.
B) one requires review by the IRB chair.
C) exempt review is for when there is less than minimal risk.
D) expedited review is for when there is less than minimal risk.

Question 76

Who of the following would NOT be included on an IRB committee?

A) university faculty
B) university staff
C) community members, such as physicians
D) undergraduate students

Question 77

A cover story is used to:

A) tell participants what the study is about.
B) inform participants about the risks and benefits of participation.
C) divulge where deception was used in the study.
D) alert participants to their right to refuse or terminate participation at any time without penalty.

Question 78

If Moira is conducting a study with minimal risk and no deception, her IRB protocol would likely be classified as:

A) exempt.
B) advanced.
C) expedited.
D) full review.

Question 79

The characteristic of "minimal risk" in a research study is most associated with:

A) expedited IRB review.
B) exempt IRB review.
C) advanced IRB review.
D) enhanced IRB review.

Question 80

As part of her health psychology study, Gizela would like to require her research participants to engage in maximum endurance exercise. Because of this, her IRB study protocol will most likely be reviewed by:

A) only the chair of the IRB.
B) the IRB committee, which is composed of at least five members.
C) a qualified member of the IRB committee selected by the IRB chair.
D) the President of the university.