Case Study

Based on Diana Baumrind's critique of Milgram's study, explain how the researcher should handle the unexpected distress of these initial participants and explain the underlying ethical principle of monitoring unanticipated reactions.

Case context: A researcher is conducting a study on social exclusion. Although preliminary pilot testing did not indicate any severe adverse effects, the first three participants in the active exclusion condition show signs of extreme anxiety and distress during the laboratory task. The researcher is unsure whether to continue the protocol exactly as designed to maintain standardization or to modify the protocol.

Question: Based on Diana Baumrind's critique of Milgram's study, explain how the researcher should handle the unexpected distress of these initial participants and explain the underlying ethical principle of monitoring unanticipated reactions.

Sample answer: Based on Baumrind's critique, the researcher must prioritize participant welfare over protocol standardization once distress is observed. Even though the distress was not predicted by pilot testing, the researcher observed it in the first few subjects. Therefore, the researcher has an ethical obligation to monitor these unanticipated reactions and adjust the research procedures immediately to mitigate further harm.

Key points:

  • Prioritizing participant welfare over strict standardization once distress is observed.
  • Recognizing that unexpected distress in early participants requires immediate evaluation.
  • Ethically adjusting research procedures in response to monitored unanticipated reactions.

Rubric: The response must show comprehension of Baumrind's principles by explaining that: (1) the researcher cannot ignore the distress of the first few participants even if it was unanticipated, (2) the researcher must ethically adjust procedures rather than prioritizing protocol standardization, and (3) the researcher has a dynamic responsibility to monitor and adjust based on observed participant reactions.

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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