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Case Study

Explain why the student's reasoning is incorrect under the APA Ethics Code. In your answer, address whether students are exempt, whether the code is relevant to non-clinical research, and why relying purely on personal moral principles is insufficient.

Case context: An undergraduate student is planning a social psychology experiment. They argue that because they are only a student conducting a simple classroom experiment (rather than a professional clinical psychologist working with patients), the APA Ethics Code does not apply to them. They plan to rely entirely on their own moral intuition to guide their research decisions.

Question: Explain why the student's reasoning is incorrect under the APA Ethics Code. In your answer, address whether students are exempt, whether the code is relevant to non-clinical research, and why relying purely on personal moral principles is insufficient.

Sample answer: The student's reasoning is incorrect because the APA Ethics Code explicitly applies to both psychologists and their students. Furthermore, the code is highly relevant to psychological research, with Standard 88 setting mandatory requirements for research activities. Finally, relying on personal moral intuition is insufficient because general moral principles can be interpreted differently by different people; the code provides detailed, enforceable guidance to ensure ethical standards are applied consistently.

Key points:

  • The APA Ethics Code applies to psychologists and their students.
  • Standard 88 establishes mandatory requirements specifically for research and publication.
  • General moral principles can be interpreted differently, requiring detailed, enforceable guidance.

Rubric: Grading Rubric: - Identifies that the APA Ethics Code applies to students (1 point). - Comprehends that the code is relevant to research and references Standard 88 (1 point). - Comprehends that individual moral principles are insufficient due to differing interpretations, making enforceable guidelines necessary (1 point).

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Updated 2026-05-26

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KPU

Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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