For each case study, discuss the ethics involved in the studyusing the ethical framework presented in your reading.
Case No. 1: A developmentalpsychologist is conducting research on physiological correlates oforienting responses in newborn infants. What is his obligation withrespect to sharing each child's data with the child's parents? Doesit make a difference if the data suggest the presence ofneurological abnormality in some participants?
Case No. 2: A local business isinterested in making better decisions about which employees shouldbe encouraged to pursue a career track in management. They ask apsychologist to administer and interpret personality tests thatinclude measures of creativity, ego strength, andintroversion/extroversion to a group of new employees. Should thepsychologist honor this request? What issues are raised if theinstruments used by the psychologist were developed using samplesof white, middle-class men? What if the psychologist also is askedto administer an integrity test to evaluate each new employee?
Case No. 3: A psychologist whoconducts research on jury characteristics has reported thatpotential jurors with specific demographic characteristics are morelikely to render verdicts that favor the defense in certain typesof felony cases. An attorney who is defending an accused rapistoffers her a position as a consultant. She is asked to advise thedefense team about which potential jurors should be eliminatedduring the voir dire process. Should she accept the position? Whyor why not?
Case No. 4: A psychologist is a guestin a weekly radio \"call-in\" program. Listeners are invited to askquestions. During a show on treatment of depression, a listenercalls with a \"question\" about someone he knows who seems \"down\". Hereports that this acquaintance has been missing work frequently,seems irritable most of the time, and has made comments about\"getting out of the rat-race for good\". The psychologist, concernedthat the caller may be actually speaking about himself, tells thecaller that the friend is clinically depressed, is a likely suiciderisk, and should be seen by a mental health professional as soon aspossible. The psychologist then offers an appointment time in herschedule the following morning if the caller will bring his\"friend\" to the office for evaluation and referral to a localphysician. Has she followed ethical guidelines in handling thissituation?
