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Case Study

Using your understanding of the two dimensions of ethics, explain why the student's personal morality is not sufficient for conducting scientific research, and describe what specialized professional domains provide to guide behavior.

Case context: A student researcher plans to conduct a study on academic anxiety. They believe that their own personal sense of morality and understanding of what constitutes good behavior is sufficient to ensure their study is ethical. They argue that they do not need to learn the specific ethical rules of the scientific research community.

Question: Using your understanding of the two dimensions of ethics, explain why the student's personal morality is not sufficient for conducting scientific research, and describe what specialized professional domains provide to guide behavior.

Sample answer: While the student's personal sense of morality aligns with the philosophical dimension of ethics, professional domains require more. According to the definition of ethics, specialized professional domains like scientific research have their own specific sets of principles and practices that offer moral direction. Relying only on personal morality ignores these established professional guidelines.

Key points:

  • Personal morality alone does not cover specialized standards.
  • Specialized professional domains have specific sets of principles and practices.
  • These domain-specific principles and practices provide moral direction.
  • Scientific research is one of these specialized professional domains.

Rubric: The response must demonstrate comprehension of the difference between general/philosophical morality and domain-specific ethics. It must state that specialized professional domains (like scientific research) have established, specific sets of principles and practices that offer moral direction, which go beyond an individual's personal moral standard.

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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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