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Case Study

Explain how the psychologist's plan violates the ethical standards established by the Declaration of Helsinki. Specifically, identify what must be done with their outline before they can begin data collection and explain why this requirement is necessary under this ethics code.

Case context: A developmental psychologist plans to study the effects of screen time on toddler attention spans. The psychologist drafts a comprehensive outline of the study in their personal notebook, detailing the sampling methods, operational definitions of attention, and plans to obtain parental consent. Believing that their outline is sufficient, they intend to begin recruiting families immediately.

Question: Explain how the psychologist's plan violates the ethical standards established by the Declaration of Helsinki. Specifically, identify what must be done with their outline before they can begin data collection and explain why this requirement is necessary under this ethics code.

Sample answer: Under the Declaration of Helsinki, the psychologist's plan violates ethical standards because a researcher cannot simply self-approve their research plan. The psychologist must formalize their study details into a written protocol. Then, this protocol must be submitted to and reviewed by an independent committee before any data collection or recruitment begins. This requirement is necessary to ensure an objective, independent evaluation of the study's safety and ethics, rather than relying solely on the researcher's self-assessment.

Key points:

  • Identifies that drafting a personal outline is insufficient for self-approval
  • Specifies the need to translate the outline into a formal written protocol
  • Explains the requirement to submit the protocol to an independent committee for review
  • Articulates that independent review ensures objective ethical oversight before research begins

Rubric: The response must explain that self-approval is insufficient under the Declaration of Helsinki. It must identify that the researcher must create a written protocol and have it reviewed by an independent committee before recruiting or collecting data. It must also explain that this ensures objective ethical oversight.

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Updated 2026-05-26

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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