1. Which of the following is the primary ethical principle in psychological research?
A) Informed consent
B) Confidentiality
C) Protection from harm
D) Avoidance of deception
Answer: A) Informed consent
Explanation: The primary ethical principle is ensuring informed consent, meaning participants must be fully aware of the nature of the research, their involvement, and their right to withdraw at any time.
2. Which ethical guideline requires researchers to minimize harm to participants?
A) Beneficence
B) Justice
C) Autonomy
D) Non-maleficence
Answer: D) Non-maleficence
Explanation: Non-maleficence refers to the ethical principle of avoiding harm or minimizing harm to participants during the research process.
3. What is the ethical principle that ensures participants are treated fairly and equally?
A) Justice
B) Confidentiality
C) Respect for persons
D) Integrity
Answer: A) Justice
Explanation: Justice in research ethics refers to the fair distribution of the benefits and burdens of research. Researchers must treat all participants fairly and avoid discrimination.
4. Which of the following is required for participants to give informed consent?
A) Clear explanation of the study’s purpose
B) Guarantee of anonymity
C) Full disclosure of results
D) No payment for participation
Answer: A) Clear explanation of the study’s purpose
Explanation: Informed consent is only valid if participants are provided with a clear understanding of the study’s purpose, risks, and any other important aspects before agreeing to participate.
5. Which ethical guideline addresses the need for truthfulness and accuracy in research?
A) Integrity
B) Beneficence
C) Autonomy
D) Justice
Answer: A) Integrity
Explanation: Integrity refers to the need for researchers to maintain honesty in all aspects of their research, including data collection, analysis, and reporting of results.
6. Which ethical issue involves the use of deception in psychological research?
A) Lack of informed consent
B) Breach of confidentiality
C) Deception and its justification
D) Disrespect to participants
Answer: C) Deception and its justification
Explanation: Deception in psychological research must be justified by the necessity of the research and must be followed by debriefing participants afterward.
7. When conducting psychological research, researchers must ensure that all personal data is kept private. This is referred to as:
A) Justice
B) Informed consent
C) Confidentiality
D) Beneficence
Answer: C) Confidentiality
Explanation: Confidentiality requires that researchers protect participants’ personal information and ensure it is not shared without permission.
8. In the case of vulnerable populations (such as children or individuals with disabilities), what is required in addition to informed consent?
A) Deception
B) Assent from a legally authorized representative
C) Reduced risk
D) No further ethical guidelines
Answer: B) Assent from a legally authorized representative
Explanation: Vulnerable populations need both informed consent from a legal guardian and assent from the individual, where appropriate.
9. Which of the following is a potential ethical challenge when conducting research with animal subjects?
A) Providing informed consent
B) Ensuring the validity of the study
C) Minimizing harm to the animals
D) Obtaining assent from the animal
Answer: C) Minimizing harm to the animals
Explanation: Ethical guidelines for animal research emphasize minimizing harm and ensuring that the benefits of the research justify any potential harm to the animals.
10. Which ethical guideline requires that research participants have the freedom to withdraw from a study at any time?
A) Beneficence
B) Justice
C) Autonomy
D) Confidentiality
Answer: C) Autonomy
Explanation: Autonomy ensures that participants have the right to make decisions about their involvement in research, including the ability to withdraw at any time without penalty.
11. What is the role of a research ethics committee (REC)?
A) To conduct the research
B) To provide funding for the research
C) To review and approve research proposals for ethical issues
D) To collect data from participants
Answer: C) To review and approve research proposals for ethical issues
Explanation: A research ethics committee (REC) is responsible for reviewing research proposals to ensure they meet ethical standards and protect participants’ rights.
12. Which of the following is an ethical challenge associated with longitudinal research?
A) Overuse of deception
B) Maintaining participant confidentiality over time
C) Difficulty obtaining informed consent
D) Ensuring immediate results
Answer: B) Maintaining participant confidentiality over time
Explanation: Longitudinal research spans long periods, which poses challenges in maintaining participants’ confidentiality and ensuring their data remains secure.
13. What ethical principle addresses the need for researchers to maximize the benefits of their research while minimizing any potential risks?
A) Autonomy
B) Beneficence
C) Justice
D) Non-maleficence
Answer: B) Beneficence
Explanation: Beneficence refers to the ethical obligation of researchers to maximize the potential benefits of their research while minimizing harm or risk to participants.
14. Why is debriefing necessary in psychological research involving deception?
A) To provide participants with compensation
B) To explain the real purpose of the research
C) To apologize for any inconvenience
D) To collect feedback from participants
Answer: B) To explain the real purpose of the research
Explanation: Debriefing is necessary to inform participants about the true nature of the study, especially if deception was involved, and to ensure they leave the study without any distress.
15. Which of the following ethical considerations is most relevant when researching sensitive topics, such as trauma or mental illness?
A) Justice
B) Confidentiality
C) Integrity
D) Informed consent
Answer: B) Confidentiality
Explanation: Sensitive topics require heightened confidentiality to protect participants’ personal information and prevent any potential harm.
16. Which ethical principle guides researchers to be honest and accurate when reporting their findings?
A) Integrity
B) Justice
C) Respect
D) Autonomy
Answer: A) Integrity
Explanation: Integrity mandates that researchers present their findings honestly and accurately, avoiding any manipulation of data or results.
17. What does it mean to have an informed consent process in place for a psychological study?
A) Participants are allowed to leave the study at any time
B) Participants understand the risks, benefits, and purpose of the study
C) Participants’ identities are hidden throughout the study
D) Participants are paid for their involvement
Answer: B) Participants understand the risks, benefits, and purpose of the study
Explanation: Informed consent requires that participants fully understand the nature of the study, including any potential risks or benefits, before agreeing to participate.
18. Which of the following is a key challenge when conducting cross-cultural psychological research?
A) Inconsistent research methodologies
B) Understanding cultural variations in ethical norms
C) Managing participant confidentiality
D) Ensuring researcher objectivity
Answer: B) Understanding cultural variations in ethical norms
Explanation: Cross-cultural research presents challenges in understanding and respecting different cultural norms and ethical standards, which may vary significantly.
19. Which is true about the ethical guideline of “minimizing harm”?
A) Researchers can never cause any harm to participants
B) Harm must be minimized, but can be justified if the research benefits outweigh the risks
C) Harm must always be disclosed to participants
D) Participants must give consent to any harm involved
Answer: B) Harm must be minimized, but can be justified if the research benefits outweigh the risks
Explanation: The principle of minimizing harm allows for some level of risk but emphasizes that any harm caused should be justifiable by the potential benefits of the research.
20. What is the primary concern of ethical issues in psychological research with vulnerable populations?
A) Their ability to provide informed consent
B) The importance of achieving generalizable results
C) The need to recruit as many participants as possible
D) The potential for conflicts of interest
Answer: A) Their ability to provide informed consent
Explanation: Vulnerable populations, such as children or those with mental disabilities, may not have the capacity to fully understand the research, making it difficult to obtain valid informed consent.
21. Which of the following is NOT an ethical guideline in psychological research?
A) Ensuring that all data is accurate
B) Ensuring participants’ physical well-being
C) Offering monetary incentives to participants
D) Giving participants the right to withdraw from the study
Answer: C) Offering monetary incentives to participants
Explanation: Offering monetary incentives is not unethical per se, but it should not be coercive or used as the sole motivation for participation. The focus should be on ethical treatment rather than financial reward.
22. In a study where deception is involved, when should participants be debriefed?
A) Before the study begins
B) Immediately after the study concludes
C) At the time of recruitment
D) During the analysis of results
Answer: B) Immediately after the study concludes
Explanation: Participants must be debriefed as soon as possible after the study to ensure they are informed about the true purpose and to relieve any distress caused by the deception.
23. **What is the significance of institutional review boards (IRBs) in psychological research?
**
A) They analyze data
B) They supervise the research
C) They ensure the ethical conduct of research
D) They provide funding for the research
Answer: C) They ensure the ethical conduct of research
Explanation: Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are responsible for ensuring that research adheres to ethical guidelines, protecting participants from harm and ensuring ethical standards are maintained.
24. What must researchers do to ensure confidentiality in psychological research?
A) Obtain informed consent
B) Securely store personal data
C) Provide compensation
D) Use non-disclosure agreements
Answer: B) Securely store personal data
Explanation: To ensure confidentiality, researchers must take appropriate measures to securely store any personal data collected from participants and ensure it is not shared without permission.
25. In what situation is the use of deception justified in psychological research?
A) When it is necessary for the research’s validity
B) When it increases participant participation
C) When the participants agree to it
D) When it is part of the research design
Answer: A) When it is necessary for the research’s validity
Explanation: Deception can only be used if it is deemed necessary to maintain the study’s validity and there are no alternative methods that can be used.
26. What is one of the main goals of ethics in psychological research?
A) To promote participant participation
B) To minimize the risks of research
C) To ensure significant financial outcomes
D) To publish new psychological theories
Answer: B) To minimize the risks of research
Explanation: A primary goal of ethics in psychological research is to minimize risks, ensuring that the research does not cause unnecessary harm to participants.
27. Which of the following is an example of an ethical violation in psychological research?
A) Using informed consent
B) Offering debriefing after the study
C) Falsifying research data
D) Maintaining participant confidentiality
Answer: C) Falsifying research data
Explanation: Falsifying research data is an unethical violation of research integrity and can lead to misleading conclusions and harmful consequences for participants and the field.
28. What must be considered when conducting research involving sensitive data?
A) Confidentiality and informed consent
B) The financial compensation for participants
C) Researcher biases
D) The reputation of the research institution
Answer: A) Confidentiality and informed consent
Explanation: When dealing with sensitive data, it is crucial to ensure confidentiality and obtain informed consent from participants, as this protects their rights and dignity.
29. What ethical concern is highlighted when using data from previous research without consent?
A) Lack of informed consent
B) Falsifying data
C) Coercion
D) Minimizing risks
Answer: A) Lack of informed consent
Explanation: Using data from previous research without proper consent violates the ethical principle of informed consent, as participants have not agreed to their data being reused.
30. Why is it important for psychological research to follow ethical guidelines?
A) To ensure research is published
B) To protect the interests of the researcher
C) To safeguard participants’ well-being and rights
D) To ensure the study results are accurate
Answer: C) To safeguard participants’ well-being and rights
Explanation: Following ethical guidelines is essential to protect participants’ rights and well-being, ensuring that the research is conducted responsibly and humanely.
