This week, you begin to investigate the “nature and nurture” topic and examine other concepts that frame lifespan development. You learn how these concepts form the basis of many lines of research in lifespan development. You also explore how and why the populations typically studied in developmental research are considered vulnerable and require particular ethical protections.
Choose a population from the following:
Analyze the role of ethics in developmental psychology research related to vulnerable populations
Analyze developmental concepts as applied to the life of an individual
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.
https://www.srcd.org/about-us/ethical-standards-research-children
https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index
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Why nature & nurture won’t go away Pinker, Steven Daedalus; Fall 2004; 133, 4; ProQuest Central pg. 5
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DPSY 6215/8215
Example of Discussion Post and Peer Response
Example of Main Discussion
Wk1 Main Post
Children younger than age 18 are one population that is studied in developmental
research. Children are considered a vulnerable population because they may lack the cognitive
maturity to provide informed consent for research procedures (Berk, 2014).
In addition to standard ethical principles as identified by the American Psychological
Association (APA, 2010), there are particular ethical considerations that should be followed
when conducting research with a vulnerable population (Society for Research in Child
Development [SRCD], 2012). If there is any potential for harm or risk as a part of the research
procedures, the investigator should try to seek other methods for obtaining information (APA,
2010; SRCD, 2012). Additionally, the investigator must obtain approval from an institutional
review board. The child’s parents or legal guardians must provide informed consent. Children
who are old enough to understand must also agree to participate in the study and provide assent
(SRCD, 2012).
Additional ethical precautions, including maintaining confidentiality and anonymity,
should also be in place to ensure that the participants cannot be identified through the research
and that none of the information they share with the investigator will be used for any purpose
outside the study without their prior consent (APA, 2010; SRCD, 2012).
References
American Psychological Association. (2010a). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of
conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx
Berk. L. E. (2014). Development through the lifespan (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education.
Society for Research in Child Development. (2012b). Ethical standards in research. Retrieved
from http://www.srcd.org/about-us/ethical-standards-research
Example of Response to Peer
RE: Wk1 Response to Nikki
Hi, Nikki. You made some good points in your post about ethical considerations when
conducting research with older adults. As you mentioned, older individuals with ailing health
and mental abilities might not be sufficiently competent to provide informed consent and would
require a legal guardian to give consent to participate in the study. On a related note, even if they
are mentally competent, they might not be able to understand technical wording and complex
procedures in a consent form. They might also mistakenly believe that enrolling in the research
might directly benefit them therapeutically (University of Miami, n.d.). It is important to make
sure the consent form is written in simple and understandable language. The IRB would help in
reviewing the content of the consent form and making any recommendations to clarify the
language (APA, 2010).
References
American Psychological Association. (2010a). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of
conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx
