AP®PsychologyCollege BoardExam QuestionsResearch MethodsAPA Ethical Guidelines

APA Ethical Guidelines (College Board AP® Psychology): Exam Questions

2 mins2 questions
1
1 mark

A researcher is studying memory recall. She tells participants they are completing a word memorization task. Unknown to participants, she is actually measuring how quickly they give up on unsolvable puzzles. After the study concludes, she thanks participants and dismisses them without revealing the true nature of the research.

Which of the following best identifies the ethical violation in this study?

  • The researcher committed a breach of confidentiality by sharing participants' personal data with individuals outside the research team without their consent

  • The researcher failed to obtain institutional review by not seeking approval from an institutional review board (IRB) before conducting the study

  • Participants were deceived about the study's purpose and were not debriefed afterwards

  • The researcher failed to protect participants from harm by exposing them to significant psychological distress without taking steps to minimize risk

Choose your answer

2
1 mark

In Milgram's original obedience experiments, participants were told they were taking part in a study of learning and memory. They were not informed of the study's true purpose — investigating obedience to authority — until after the experiment was concluded. Some participants experienced significant distress during the procedure.

Which of the following most accurately describes the primary ethical concern raised by Milgram's research?

  • Participants were deceived about the study's true purpose and were exposed to significant psychological distress without being given the genuine right to withdraw

  • The study did not include a large enough sample to draw valid conclusions about obedience

  • Milgram failed to operationally define "obedience" before conducting the study

  • The study lacked ecological validity because it was conducted in a laboratory setting

Choose your answer