Ethics in Research Quiz

Ethics in Research

• Research ethics involves protecting participants from physical and psychological harm
• Participants should have the freedom to choose whether or not to participate in a research study
• Researchers must be aware of power imbalances between themselves and participants
• Researchers must honestly describe the nature and use of the research to participants

APA Guidelines on Research

• General Principles: Psychologists respect and protect civil and human rights, emphasizing freedom of inquiry and expression in research, teaching, and publication. Appropriate approval is obtained before conducting any research, which must be carried out according to the approved protocol.
• Informed Consent: Participants must be informed about the research purpose, duration, procedures, their right to decline or withdraw, potential influencing factors, potential benefits, and who to contact for questions.
• Deception: Deception should only be used when justified by significant scientific, educational, or applied value. Deception should not cause physical pain or severe emotional distress. Deception must be explained as early as possible, preferably at the conclusion of data collection.
• Debriefing: Psychologists must provide participants with an opportunity to gain appropriate information about the research nature, results, and conclusions. If delaying or withholding information is justified by scientific or humane values, reasonable measures should be taken to reduce the risk of harm.

Securing Informed Consent

• Statement of the Study: Must include expected duration and procedures, any experimental procedures, and identification of any

• Risks and Discomforts: A description of any reasonably foreseeable risks or discomforts to the participant.

• Benefits: A list of the potential benefits for the participant and others

• Alternative Treatments: Disclosure of appropriate alternative procedures or treatment options that might benefit the participant

• Confidentiality: A statement about maintaining the confidentiality of records related to the participant.

• Compensation: For research involving more than minimal risk, an explanation will be provided about whether any compensation will be made and whether medical treatments are available if injuries occur and how to obtain further information.

• Contact Information: Include whom to contact for relevant questions/issues related to the research and research participants rights/issues in general

• Voluntary Participation: Refusal to participate in the research must not involve penalty or loss of benefits; participants may discontinue their participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits.

An Alternative to Deception

• Simulation Study: Participants are fully informed about the research and asked to behave as if unaware of the true nature of the study.

Characteristics of an Ethical Research Project

• Building trust and rapport between researchers and participants is crucial.
• The rights and interests of both parties should be considered and balanced, leading to a mutually beneficial relationship
• Researcher must treat the participant with respect, keeping the experience pleasant and informative.
• Before starting, participants must be fully informed about risks, stress factors, and their right to participate or not.
• After conducting the experiment, any deception used must be explained; the underlying hypothesis of the study, research purpose, and procedures should be clear.
• An opportunity to provide information about the results of the study, as well as contact information for the researcher or project contact, should be offered as required.

Guidelines for Ethical Research with Animals

• IACUC Approval: Research involving animals must have Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee approval. IACUCs review treatment protocols, care before and after the study, and conduct post-study inspections. IACUCs exist within institutions that carry out research and receive government funding
• Humane Treatment: Labs must comply with federal, state, and local laws regarding animal care (including obtaining, caring for, using, and disposing of animals). Procedures must be supervised by trained professionals.
• Justification for Pain: Any causing pain must be justified by the research's value.

Informed Consent - Animals

• Animals cannot give consent for participating in research.
• The question of ethics arises regarding experiments on animal behaviour.

Animal Rights vs. Animal Welfare

• Animal Rights: It is unethical to conduct animal research because animals are living beings deserving of the same rights as humans. Animal research often involves pain, and researchers often aren't concerned about humane treatment.
• Animal Welfare: Animals don't have the same rights as humans and humans are responsible for treating animals humanely.
• A large portion of modern medicine is based on animal testing. Animal research is crucial, and 94% of experiments do not involve pain. Most of those studies employ anaesthesia and uphold welfare standards.

This quiz covers essential topics on research ethics, focusing on the protection of participants from harm and the importance of informed consent. It explores the responsibilities of researchers in maintaining ethical standards throughout the research process. Test your understanding of the APA guidelines and key ethical principles in research.