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Explain why the researcher's reasoning is incorrect. In your explanation, identify which specific stages of the research lifecycle are associated with the ongoing ethical decisions the team must make in this scenario.
Case context: A team of social psychologists is investigating the relationship between social media usage and academic performance in college students. After obtaining IRB approval, they collect survey data from 200 participants. During the subsequent data analysis phase, the researchers realize that excluding several participants who did not complete all questions would make their primary correlation statistically significant. One researcher argues: 'Since data collection is complete and our participants were debriefed without any harm, our ethical obligations to them are fulfilled. We can clean and present the data in whatever way best supports our hypothesis.'
Question: Explain why the researcher's reasoning is incorrect. In your explanation, identify which specific stages of the research lifecycle are associated with the ongoing ethical decisions the team must make in this scenario.
Sample answer: The researcher's reasoning is incorrect because ethical considerations are continuous and do not end when data collection is complete. Even though the participants are safe and debriefed, the researchers still face ethical decisions in the data analysis phase (such as deciding whether it is honest and transparent to exclude incomplete surveys to manipulate significance) and in the publication process (ensuring accurate and unbiased reporting of their findings). Their ethical obligations also extend to how they store and share data after the study concludes.
Key points:
- Explain that ethical obligations persist beyond participant contact and data collection.
- Identify data analysis (handling missing data and outlier exclusions) as an active ethical phase.
- Identify publication (reporting results accurately without bias) as an active ethical phase.
- Explain that the post-conclusion phase carries ethical responsibilities.
Rubric: The student must show understanding that ethical obligations do not terminate after data collection. They must identify that the researchers' current phase (data analysis) and future phase (publication/post-study) carry specific ethical obligations (e.g., honest reporting, avoiding data manipulation, data handling).
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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