Q.1 Which of the following best defines 'informed consent' in psychological research?
Participants are told the full purpose of the study after it ends
Participants voluntarily agree to participate with full understanding of the risks and procedures
Participants are required to sign a contract regardless of understanding
Participants are secretly observed without their knowledge
Explanation - Informed consent ensures that participants understand what the research involves and voluntarily agree to participate.
Correct answer is: Participants voluntarily agree to participate with full understanding of the risks and procedures
Q.2 What is the main purpose of an Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
To provide funding for psychological studies
To approve research studies ensuring they meet ethical standards
To analyze the statistical methods used in research
To write research articles for journals
Explanation - IRBs review proposed research to protect participants and ensure ethical guidelines are followed.
Correct answer is: To approve research studies ensuring they meet ethical standards
Q.3 Deception in research is considered ethically acceptable only when:
It does not harm participants and is necessary for the study’s validity
It helps participants learn new skills
Participants can guess the purpose themselves
The study is funded by a reputable organization
Explanation - Deception can be used if it is justified, non-harmful, and participants are debriefed afterward.
Correct answer is: It does not harm participants and is necessary for the study’s validity
Q.4 Which of the following is a key principle of the Belmont Report?
Confidentiality, Competence, Clarity
Respect for Persons, Beneficence, Justice
Reliability, Validity, Objectivity
Funding, Reporting, Publication
Explanation - The Belmont Report outlines three core ethical principles guiding research with human participants.
Correct answer is: Respect for Persons, Beneficence, Justice
Q.5 Maintaining participant confidentiality means:
Publishing all collected data online
Using participants’ personal information only for research purposes and keeping it secure
Sharing participant data with other researchers freely
Not allowing participants to see their own data
Explanation - Confidentiality protects participants’ private information from unauthorized disclosure.
Correct answer is: Using participants’ personal information only for research purposes and keeping it secure
Q.6 Which of the following practices is considered unethical in research?
Reporting results accurately
Fabricating data to support a hypothesis
Debriefing participants after a study
Obtaining informed consent
Explanation - Fabricating data undermines scientific integrity and is a serious ethical violation.
Correct answer is: Fabricating data to support a hypothesis
Q.7 A researcher uses students in their own class as participants. What ethical concern does this raise?
Lack of random sampling
Conflict of interest or coercion due to power dynamics
Difficulty in data analysis
Over-reliance on surveys
Explanation - Students may feel pressured to participate, making voluntary consent questionable.
Correct answer is: Conflict of interest or coercion due to power dynamics
Q.8 Which of the following is true about debriefing participants?
It is optional if the study involves deception
It should occur immediately after participation and explain the study purpose
It is only necessary for clinical trials
It involves giving participants their compensation only
Explanation - Debriefing restores trust and explains any deception used in the research.
Correct answer is: It should occur immediately after participation and explain the study purpose
Q.9 Which ethical principle protects participants from physical or psychological harm?
Beneficence
Justice
Autonomy
Confidentiality
Explanation - Beneficence requires researchers to minimize harm and maximize benefits to participants.
Correct answer is: Beneficence
Q.10 Using participant data anonymously means:
Identities are unknown even to the researcher
Researchers know identities but keep them secret
Data is shared with other participants
Participants’ names are coded for reporting
Explanation - Anonymity ensures that participants cannot be identified from the data collected.
Correct answer is: Identities are unknown even to the researcher
Q.11 Which situation would most likely violate ethical research standards?
Giving participants the right to withdraw at any time
Using misleading instructions without follow-up debriefing
Explaining risks before participation
Keeping data confidential
Explanation - Deception without debriefing is unethical because participants are left uninformed and potentially harmed.
Correct answer is: Using misleading instructions without follow-up debriefing
Q.12 Ethical research requires that participants can withdraw at any time. This principle supports:
Informed consent
Data fabrication
Deception
Random assignment
Explanation - Participants must voluntarily consent and know they can stop participation at any point.
Correct answer is: Informed consent
Q.13 Which of the following is an example of a conflict of interest in research?
A researcher conducting a study on a drug in which they own stock
A researcher following IRB guidelines
A researcher explaining the study fully to participants
A researcher anonymizing data before analysis
Explanation - Financial or personal interests can bias research design, data collection, or reporting.
Correct answer is: A researcher conducting a study on a drug in which they own stock
Q.14 Which of the following best illustrates the principle of justice in research ethics?
All participants receive equal treatment and fair selection
Only volunteers from wealthy backgrounds are selected
Participants are told partial information
Deception is used to save time
Explanation - Justice requires fairness in participant selection and equitable distribution of research benefits and burdens.
Correct answer is: All participants receive equal treatment and fair selection
Q.15 What should a researcher do if they discover a participant is distressed during a study?
Continue the study as planned
Stop the study and provide support or referrals
Ignore it since it’s part of the study
Ask other participants to assist
Explanation - Researchers must prioritize participant well-being and minimize harm.
Correct answer is: Stop the study and provide support or referrals
Q.16 In psychological research, vulnerable populations require special ethical consideration. Which group is typically considered vulnerable?
Adults over 50
Children under 18
College students
Graduate researchers
Explanation - Children are considered vulnerable due to limited capacity to provide informed consent.
Correct answer is: Children under 18
Q.17 Which of the following is true about data sharing in ethical research?
Researchers can share identifiable participant data freely
Data should be shared only in a way that maintains confidentiality
All raw data must be published publicly
Data sharing is prohibited in all cases
Explanation - Ethical data sharing requires protecting participant privacy while allowing scientific transparency.
Correct answer is: Data should be shared only in a way that maintains confidentiality
Q.18 What does the principle of 'respect for persons' in research ethics primarily involve?
Ensuring participants are treated as autonomous individuals and protecting those with diminished autonomy
Maximizing statistical power
Guaranteeing publication in journals
Focusing on cost-efficiency in research design
Explanation - Respect for persons involves acknowledging autonomy and providing extra protections for vulnerable populations.
Correct answer is: Ensuring participants are treated as autonomous individuals and protecting those with diminished autonomy
Q.19 Which scenario is an example of coercion in research?
Offering a small token gift to participants
Pressuring employees to participate because their manager requests it
Allowing participants to ask questions freely
Providing detailed information about the study
Explanation - Coercion occurs when participants feel compelled to join due to power dynamics or threats.
Correct answer is: Pressuring employees to participate because their manager requests it
Q.20 Which of the following is considered an ethical obligation after a study involving deception?
Ignoring participant questions
Debriefing participants and revealing the true purpose
Publishing only favorable results
Keeping the deception secret indefinitely
Explanation - Debriefing restores participants’ trust and explains why deception was necessary.
Correct answer is: Debriefing participants and revealing the true purpose
Q.21 When can personal identifiers be included in research reports?
When participants provide explicit consent
Whenever the researcher wants
For all published data by default
Only when IRB approval is not required
Explanation - Identifiers can only be included if participants agree, to protect confidentiality.
Correct answer is: When participants provide explicit consent
Q.22 Which of the following represents an ethical concern in longitudinal research?
Maintaining participant confidentiality over time
Using cross-sectional data
Administering a single survey
Not requiring consent after initial enrollment
Explanation - Long-term studies must ensure privacy and data protection throughout the study duration.
Correct answer is: Maintaining participant confidentiality over time
Q.23 Which of the following is a potential ethical issue in online psychological research?
Difficulty obtaining informed consent from anonymous participants
Ability to use larger sample sizes
Faster data collection
Low cost of surveys
Explanation - Online studies must find ways to ensure participants understand the study and consent voluntarily.
Correct answer is: Difficulty obtaining informed consent from anonymous participants
Q.24 Why is transparency in reporting research findings considered an ethical requirement?
It ensures results can be independently verified and prevents misleading conclusions
It allows researchers to hide negative results
It helps in recruiting more participants
It reduces data collection costs
Explanation - Transparency maintains scientific integrity and trustworthiness of research.
Correct answer is: It ensures results can be independently verified and prevents misleading conclusions
Q.25 Which of the following best describes informed consent in psychological research?
Participants must agree to participate without knowing the purpose of the study
Participants must be fully informed about the study and voluntarily agree to participate
Participants must be paid to participate
Participants should participate only if they are part of a control group
Explanation - Informed consent ensures that participants understand the study procedures, risks, and benefits and agree voluntarily.
Correct answer is: Participants must be fully informed about the study and voluntarily agree to participate
Q.26 Which principle protects participants from harm in psychological research?
Beneficence
Justice
Autonomy
Confidentiality
Explanation - Beneficence refers to the ethical obligation to minimize harm and maximize benefits for participants.
Correct answer is: Beneficence
Q.27 Maintaining participants' data privacy is an example of which ethical principle?
Respect for persons
Confidentiality
Integrity
Justice
Explanation - Confidentiality ensures that researchers protect participants’ personal information from unauthorized access.
Correct answer is: Confidentiality
Q.28 What is the main purpose of an Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
To conduct experiments on participants
To approve research and ensure ethical standards are met
To publish research findings
To recruit participants for studies
Explanation - IRBs review research proposals to ensure that studies comply with ethical standards and protect participants’ rights.
Correct answer is: To approve research and ensure ethical standards are met
Q.29 Which of the following is considered unethical in research?
Using deception without debriefing
Obtaining informed consent
Protecting participant confidentiality
Allowing voluntary withdrawal
Explanation - Deception may be used only if necessary and must be followed by debriefing to inform participants about the study.
Correct answer is: Using deception without debriefing
Q.30 A researcher shares raw data publicly without removing identifiers. This violates which ethical principle?
Integrity
Confidentiality
Beneficence
Justice
Explanation - Sharing identifiable participant data without permission breaches confidentiality and privacy rights.
Correct answer is: Confidentiality
Q.31 Which of the following best defines ethical treatment of vulnerable populations in research?
They must be excluded from all studies
Special protections must be implemented to safeguard their rights
They should only participate if they are adults
They should participate without consent for scientific validity
Explanation - Vulnerable populations, such as minors or those with cognitive impairments, require additional safeguards to ensure ethical participation.
Correct answer is: Special protections must be implemented to safeguard their rights
Q.32 Which of these scenarios demonstrates voluntary participation?
A student participates because their teacher asked
A participant can leave the study at any time without penalty
A participant is offered an excessive reward they cannot refuse
A participant is forced to participate
Explanation - Voluntary participation means participants have the freedom to join or leave the study without coercion or negative consequences.
Correct answer is: A participant can leave the study at any time without penalty
Q.33 Why is debriefing important after studies involving deception?
To punish participants for not understanding the study
To explain the true purpose and ensure no harm occurred
To increase the sample size
To gather more personal data
Explanation - Debriefing informs participants about any deception used, clarifies misunderstandings, and ensures ethical treatment.
Correct answer is: To explain the true purpose and ensure no harm occurred
Q.34 Which of the following is an example of conflict of interest in research?
Publishing results honestly
Researchers financially benefiting from positive outcomes
Obtaining informed consent
Debriefing participants after the study
Explanation - A conflict of interest occurs when personal or financial interests could bias the research process or outcomes.
Correct answer is: Researchers financially benefiting from positive outcomes
Q.35 Which ethical principle emphasizes treating participants with dignity and respect?
Beneficence
Respect for persons
Integrity
Justice
Explanation - Respect for persons requires acknowledging participants’ autonomy and protecting those with diminished autonomy.
Correct answer is: Respect for persons
Q.36 Using fabricated data in psychological research violates which principle?
Integrity
Beneficence
Respect for persons
Justice
Explanation - Integrity requires researchers to report data honestly and accurately. Fabrication undermines scientific credibility.
Correct answer is: Integrity
Q.37 Why must researchers minimize risks in their studies?
To improve the statistical power of the study
To adhere to ethical standards and protect participants
To save time and resources
To make studies more publishable
Explanation - Minimizing risks ensures participant safety and aligns with the ethical principle of beneficence.
Correct answer is: To adhere to ethical standards and protect participants
Q.38 Which type of consent is required when research involves participants unable to provide informed consent themselves?
Passive consent
Assent from participant and consent from legal guardian
No consent needed
Verbal consent only
Explanation - When participants cannot fully consent, researchers obtain assent (agreement) from the participant and consent from a guardian.
Correct answer is: Assent from participant and consent from legal guardian
Q.39 Plagiarism in research violates which ethical principle?
Integrity
Beneficence
Confidentiality
Autonomy
Explanation - Integrity requires proper attribution and honesty in reporting others’ work. Plagiarism is unethical and violates trust.
Correct answer is: Integrity
Q.40 Which scenario best illustrates ethical data reporting?
Altering results to fit the hypothesis
Reporting all collected data accurately, including negative findings
Hiding data that conflicts with previous research
Fabricating data to simplify analysis
Explanation - Ethical reporting requires transparency and accuracy, even if results contradict expectations.
Correct answer is: Reporting all collected data accurately, including negative findings
Q.41 Justice in research ethics refers to:
Fair treatment and equitable selection of participants
Avoiding harm to participants
Maintaining confidentiality
Obtaining informed consent
Explanation - Justice ensures that benefits and risks of research are distributed fairly among all participant groups.
Correct answer is: Fair treatment and equitable selection of participants
Q.42 Which action is considered unethical regarding participant compensation?
Providing small tokens of appreciation
Offering incentives that coerce participation
Covering participant travel expenses
Offering compensation proportional to effort
Explanation - Ethical compensation should not be so large that it pressures participants to take risks they would otherwise avoid.
Correct answer is: Offering incentives that coerce participation
Q.43 Why is ethical oversight particularly important in quantitative research?
It guarantees statistically significant results
It protects participants from potential risks associated with experimental designs
It eliminates all research errors
It increases sample sizes
Explanation - Quantitative research often involves manipulations or data collection that can affect participants, so oversight ensures safety and compliance with ethical standards.
Correct answer is: It protects participants from potential risks associated with experimental designs
Q.44 Which of the following is an ethical concern when using secondary data?
Data analysis methods
Confidentiality of original participants
Sample size
Statistical significance
Explanation - Even when using secondary data, researchers must ensure the identities of original participants are protected.
Correct answer is: Confidentiality of original participants
Q.45 Which scenario is an example of coercion in research?
Participants freely volunteering after reading informed consent
Participants threatened with academic penalty if they do not participate
Offering minor compensation for participation
Providing a thorough debriefing
Explanation - Coercion occurs when participants are pressured or forced to join a study, undermining voluntary consent.
Correct answer is: Participants threatened with academic penalty if they do not participate
Q.46 Researchers conducting a study on sensitive topics should primarily focus on:
Maximizing sample size
Minimizing participant distress and ensuring confidentiality
Using complex statistical methods
Publishing quickly
Explanation - Sensitive research topics require additional care to protect participants from psychological harm and ensure privacy.
Correct answer is: Minimizing participant distress and ensuring confidentiality
Q.47 Which of the following is NOT part of ethical guidelines in psychological research?
Informed consent
Debriefing
Plagiarism
Confidentiality
Explanation - Plagiarism is unethical and violates research integrity, whereas the other options are required ethical practices.
Correct answer is: Plagiarism
Q.48 When is deception ethically permissible in psychological research?
When it causes harm but is necessary
When it is necessary for research validity and participants are debriefed afterward
When participants are unaware of the study
Deception is never permissible
Explanation - Deception is allowed only if essential to the study design and followed by a thorough debriefing to minimize harm.
Correct answer is: When it is necessary for research validity and participants are debriefed afterward