When evaluating psychological research, a distinction is made between ethical issues in conducting a study and the wider ethical implications of the research. Which of the following scenarios best represents a wider ethical implication of a theory or research study, rather than an ethical issue in its execution?
An observational study on bystander apathy in a public shopping centre is conducted covertly without obtaining prior informed consent from the shoppers.
A researcher investigating stress levels in emergency workers does not provide a comprehensive debriefing session at the end of the interviews.
A study on the cognitive development of children from low-income backgrounds is used by the government to justify cutting funding to early-years support programmes.
A clinical trial comparing two antidepressants does not protect participant anonymity, leading to the accidental leak of medical histories.
276 exam-style questions on OCR A Level Psychology Debates, covering Nature/nurture, Freewill/determinism, Reductionism/holism, Individual/situational explanations, Usefulness of research, Ethical considerations, Conducting socially sensitive research, and Psychology as a science. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.