Deck 3: Research Ethics

Question 1

Which of the following is a current ethical standard concerning the treatment of human subjects?

A) Research should cause no harm to subjects unless they have agreed to the risks.
B) Anonymity or confidentiality must be maintained.
C) Subjects should be compensated for their time and effort.
D) Benefits of the research are prioritized despite foreseeable risks.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Regarding the ability to give consent to participate in research, which of the following statements is true about children and adolescents?

A) They may agree to participate, but must have a legal guardian give them written permission to do so.
B) They can be used if the researcher asks the IRB.
C) They can give consent by signing a consent form.
D) They may only participate if the researcher can prove there are no possible risks to participation.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is a requirement for experiments that use deception?

A) a formal human subjects review
B) informed consent
C) reimbursement
D) confidentiality

Answer 3

A

Question 4

What is one ethical principle established by The Belmont Report of 1979?

A) respect for persons
B) sympathy
C) anonymity
D) experimentation

Question 5

Which of the following actions demonstrates respect for persons?

A) not reporting illegal activity during a study
B) protecting those with diminished autonomy
C) not reporting on observed behavior in a public area without consent
D) allowing participants to leave the study at any time

Question 6

What should be included in an IRB proposal?

A) personal opinions regarding the topic
B) research instruments
C) media coverage of topic
D) overview of the research design

Question 7

IRBs are required to have at least ______ members, with ______.

A) fifteen; all members being from the same institution
B) seven, at least one ethnographer
C) five; at least one nonscientist and one from outside the institution
D) ten members; one lawyer

Question 8

Why should statements of confidentiality be realistic?

A) They inform the researcher what the participant is willing to do.
B) They will make participants feel better about participating.
C) They may be subpoenaed.
D) They will be reviewed by the researcher's supervisor.

Question 9

Why can't mentally disabled persons consent to research participation?

A) Institutions are concerned with their access to social resources.
B) It is impossible to know if they comprehend the entirety of the study.
C) It is controversial.
D) Researchers may exploit them.

Question 10

Researchers should avoid ______, except in limited circumstances.

A) deception
B) confidentiality
C) anonymity
D) controversy

Question 11

Anonymity and ______ must be maintained for research participants unless it is explicitly waived.

A) consent forms
B) the intent of the study
C) preservation
D) confidentiality

Question 12

In social research, benefits should always outweigh ______.

A) risks
B) outcomes
C) ethical values
D) research methods

Question 13

Research participants must consent to participate in an experiment ______.

A) with persuasion
B) voluntarily
C) unknowingly
D) on a whim

Question 14

The language of a consent form must be ______ research participants.

A) relatable to
B) understandable for
C) indescribable to
D) open to interpretation by

Question 15

It is often considered unethical to withhold beneficial ______ from some research subjects, while offering it to others.

A) resources
B) conversations
C) education
D) treatment

Question 16

A researcher may have a(n) ______ review rather than being send to the full IRB board, if their experiment poses minimal risk to human subjects.

A) beneficial
B) expedited
C) honest
D) fast

Question 17

When a researcher has a significant stake in the design or outcome of their research, this is an example of ______.

A) debriefing
B) outsourcing
C) individualistic meritocracy
D) a conflict of interest

Question 18

Receiving financial rewards because of the way in which a researcher's study is designed is an example of a(n) ______.

A) conflict of interest
B) research design
C) experiment
D) HIPPA violation

Question 19

Commitment to ______ is the necessary starting point for ethical research practice.

A) achieving valid results
B) validating one's hypothesis
C) deceiving research subjects
D) quantitative data analysis

Question 20

Some proposals developed by social scientists may be exempt from review by the IRB because they involve ______.

A) complete confidentiality
B) double blind experiments
C) HIPPA disclosers
D) low levels of perceived risk

Question 21

Which statement is most accurate regarding ethical standards in social science research?

A) Maintaining ethical standards in social science research is of the highest importance but often challenging or frustrating in application.
B) Social scientists have little agreement on ethical practices and thus implement an array of individualized protocols when conducting research.
C) Ethical misconduct in social science research rarely occurs and when it does, it is difficult to detect and have retracted.
D) Social scientists are committed to ethical research practice and in most instances are trusted to act in good faith without oversight when conducting research.

Question 22

Providing protections such as beneficence for human subjects, particularly those with diminished capacity, is a central tenant of ______.

A) HIPPA
B) The Belmont Report
C) The Tuskegee Experiment
D) Institutional Review Boards

Question 23

Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding deception?

A) Deception is typically used in sociology experiments because observing necessary real-world phenomenon is often too difficult.
B) While deception is often employed to enhance research methodologies most social psychological research could be successfully conducted without its use.
C) Due to ethical concerns, social scientists may employ deception when researching only under controlled and limited conditions.
D) The practice of deception is widely employed in social science research with little supervision from ethics or review boards.

Question 24

In addition to considering confidentiality and informed consent, what must social science researchers also consider?

A) how much they will benefit personally from the application of their research
B) how well the findings align with the initial hypothesis and expectations
C) how the findings align with personal values and expectations for outcomes
D) how the research findings will be put to use

Question 25

Which of the following statements is true about withholding ethical treatment from research subjects?

A) It is typically justified in social science research.
B) It is cause for concern and requires a review of the study's justification and design.
C) It is never authorized in social science research as the risks always outweigh the potential benefits.
D) It is not a consideration for social science researchers as they rarely study issues with the potential to cause harm.

Question 26

To be informed, consent must be given by persons who have ______.

A) no conflict of interest
B) comprehended what they have been told
C) agreed to share their personal information for the purpose of the study
D) an interest in the research question and outcome

Question 27

The extent to which ethical issues are a problem for researcher and participants varies with the ______.

A) type of research design
B) institution conducting the review
C) values and beliefs of the researcher
D) hypothesis of the research study

Question 28

Maintaining privacy and confidentiality is a key ethical standard for protecting research participants.

Question 29

Deception is a commonly used tactic in social experiments as it gives the "truest" result.

Question 30

Consent can only be given by people who are competent to consent, have done so voluntarily and who are fully informed on the research being conducted.

Question 31

Institutions seeking federal funds for research involving human subjects do not need a group that reviews research proposals.

Question 32

Children can give consent to participate in research if they show they are mature enough for the study and are not rewarded for participating.

Question 33

Although unethical, the pressure to publish research findings and receive recognition can tempt researchers to alter data, mischaracterize procedures or results to make the "look better."

Question 34

Identify and discuss the three basic principles for the protection of human subjects as established by the Belmont Report in 1979. What specific historical events necessitated these guidelines? How did these events shape the Belmont Report and social scientists understanding of ethical practices?

Question 35

As a social science researcher what struggles with maintaining ethical behavior might you encounter? How would you work to ensure your ethical behavior in the face of these obstacles?