Research and Ethics in Psychology

Developmental psychology attempts to understand cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development throughout the lifespan. In order to understand, for example, how maternal stress during pregnancy might impact the child later in life, pregnant women and children could be studied. Vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women, newborns, children, cognitively impaired individuals, incarcerated individuals, or older adults, require additional consideration and protection when planning to conduct research with them.

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When conducting research in the field of human development, particularly with vulnerable populations, it is important to keep in mind that a unique set of ethical considerations should be taken into account. These populations need extra care to ensure their rights because some individuals may lack the mental capacity to give informed consent, may have decreased free will, or may be vulnerable in terms of their physical or mental welfare. As you approach this Discussion, keep in mind how ethical considerations might have affected the type of research that could be conducted.

For this Discussion, you will examine the role of ethics in developmental psychology research as it relates to vulnerable populations.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the example of a Discussion post and response found in this week’s Learning Resources as well as the Discussion Rubric to understand the Discussion’s expectations.

Review the Learning Resources related to ethics and research in the field of developmental psychology

Choose a population from the following:

Children

Women who are pregnant

Geriatric individuals

Individuals with cognitive disabilities

Adolescents

By Day 4

Based on the population you selected, post an explanation of the role of ethics in developmental psychology research with attention to the characteristics of this vulnerable population. Be specific in your post and use the Learning Resources to support your post. Use proper APA format and citations to support your explanation.

Berk, L. E. (2014). Development through the lifespan (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Chapter 1, “History, Theory, and Research Strategies” (beginning of chapter to “Scientific Beginnings”; and “Studying Development” to end of chapter)

American Psychological Association (2010b). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

“Ethical and Legal Standards in Publishing” (p. 11)
“Ensuring the Accuracy of Scientific Knowledge” (pp. 12–16)
“Protecting the Rights and Welfare of Research Participants” (pp. 16–18)

Fisher, C. B., & Vacanti-Shova, K. (2012). The responsible conduct of psychological research: An overview of ethical principles, APA Ethics Code standards, and federal regulations. In S. J. Knapp, M. C. Gottlieb, M. M. Handelsman, L. D. VandeCreek, S. J. Knapp, M. C. Gottlieb, … L. D. VandeCreek (Eds.), APA handbook of ethics in psychology, Vol 2: Practice, teaching, and research (pp. 335–369). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Pinker, S. (2004). Why nature and nurture won’t go away. Daedalus, 133(4), 5–17.

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Meyer, D., Wood, S., & Stanley, B. (2013). Nurture is nature: Integrating brain development, systems theory, and attachment theory. The Family Journal, 21(2), 162–169. doi:10.1177/1066480712466808

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Vaillancourt, T., Hymel, S., & McDougall, P. (2013). The biological underpinnings of peer victimization: Understanding why and how the effects of bullying can last a lifetime. Theory Into Practice, 52(4), 241–248. doi:10.1080/00405841.2013.829726

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.