All AP Psychology Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Ethics
Who is responsible for approving research conducted on humans?
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
You do not need approval to conduct research on humans
Association for Research Approval (ARA)
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
An institutional review board (IRB) is a committee that reviews, approves, and monitors biomedical and behavioral research conducted on humans. Its purpose is to assure that participants' rights are protected during the course of research.
Example Question #2 : Ethics
Which of the following is not considered an ethical reason for deception of subjects in a study?
All of these are acceptable reasons for deception in a psychological study
Subjects will be told of the deception afterwards, and allowed to learn the truth behind the research and methods
Deception in this study could provide researchers with new and valuable insights
The study could not be completed without deciving the subjects
They would be upset if they knew the truth
They would be upset if they knew the truth
Deception may be necessary to study subjects' true behavior, as people may behave differently if they know they are under observation or know the exact purpose of the study being performed. However, deceiving subjects simply because they might be upset if they knew the truth is not a valid ethical reason to do so.
Example Question #1 : Ethics
Which of the following is necessary for informed consent in pyschological research?
All of these are necessary for a subject to give informed consent
Subject is informed of purpose and expected duration of the study
Subject is allowed to withdraw from the study at any time
Subject is told of any potential limits to confidentiality
Subject is told of potential research benefits of the study
All of these are necessary for a subject to give informed consent
Informed consent in psychological research means the subject is given enough information on the study to make an informed decision on his/her participation. This includes informing the subject that s/he can withdraw consent and leave the study at anytime.
Example Question #2 : Ethics
Which of the following are requirements for psychological studies that include animal testing?
All of these
There must be a clear scientific purpose
Animals must be treated in a humane manner
The animals have to be acquired legally
All of these
The American Psychological Association (APA) has certain ethical guidelines when it comes to using animals for research. Experiments must be designed for the most minimal amount of suffering possible and the animals must be treated in a humane way. They have to have been acquired from a legal source, and it must be made clear why it is that animals must be used for this particular scientific end.
Example Question #1 : Ethics
In human research, what is informed consent?
Participants must know they are involved in a study and give written consent
Participants go into the study blindly
Participants know they are involved in a study, but do not have to give written consent
Participants don't have to know that what they are doing is for research, but they must give written consent
Participants must know they are involved in a study and give written consent
A requirement by the American Psychological Association (APA) is that the participant in a human study must give informed consent. That is, they must know they are involved in a study and give written consent. There can't be any extreme deception about the study; the participant must have an understanding of the expectations and premise of the study.
Example Question #2 : Ethics
What is the guideline for confidentiality in a psychological study?
If the participant did not sign the appropriate papers, the identity of the participant can be revealed in the results
The identity of the participant can be revealed in the results, only with informed consent
No participant's identity can be revealed in the results of the study
If the participant's identity is vital to the results of the study, then the researcher can reveal the identity of the participant
No participant's identity can be revealed in the results of the study
Once the research is completed, the identity of the people involved in the study, under absolutely no condition, may be revealed. The identity of the participant will never be made an integral part of the study, and there are no forms that allow for this.
Example Question #2 : Ethics
Which of the following is an APA guideline for human participation in a study?
All of these
The researcher cannot ask the participant about their ethnic or familial background
The participant cannot be placed under significant mental or physical risk
The participant cannot reveal to anyone else that they were a participant in a study
The participant cannot be placed under significant mental or physical risk
According to American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines, a participant in a study cannot be placed under significant mental or physical risk. There are no forms that the participant can sign that would allow for these conditions in a study.
Example Question #1 : Ethics
What are the debriefing procedures for participants involved in a psychological study?
After the experiment, the participants are told the end goal of the study but do not have access to the end results
The participants are told the end goal of the study and ways to attain the results before the experiment begins
After the experiment, the participants do not have to be told the end goal of the study but are given ways to attain the results
The participants are told the end goal of the study and ways to attain the results after the experiment is completed
The participants are told the end goal of the study and ways to attain the results after the experiment is completed
The debriefing procedures according to American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines are such that after the experiment, participants are told the end goal of the study and ways to attain the results. Doing so before the experiment could affect the results in an undesirable way, and so this information is provided to the participant after the experiment is completed.
Example Question #6 : Ethics
Can there be involuntary participants in a psychological study according to APA guidelines?
No, with certain exceptions, especially when field work is being done
No, and under no exception
No, but with the exception that the involuntary participants will be put under no mental or physical stress
Yes, but only in a controlled setting
No, and under no exception
The American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for participation in a psychological study are such that there may be no involuntary partcipants or coercion involved in the study. The participants must provide clear and written informed consent before participating in the study.
Example Question #3 : Ethics
Which of the following is not an aspect of an ethical study?
Debriefing
Coercion
Informed consent
Confidentiality
Anonymity
Coercion
Informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity, and debriefing are all aspects of an ethical study. Informed consent means that all subjects were given the necessary information for them to decide whether they wanted to participate in the study, or not. Confidentiality means that the experimenters will not release any information about subjects without their consent. Anonymity means that the experimenter does not know the identity of the subjects. Debriefing is when an experimenter tells the subject more information about the study's purpose and procedures after the study is completed.
Coercion means persuasion via threat or force, so coercion is NOT a feature of an ethical study.
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