Ethics and Case Study Worksheet PSY/245 Version 4 University of Phoenix Material Ethics and Case Study Worksheet Review the “Into the Mind: Mind Control” video. Answer the following two question in 45 to 90 words each. 1. Based on the information presented in the video, what is the primary goal of all the psychological research? The primary goal of psychological research is to change or control the emotions, behavior, or decision making of the subject being tested. A prime example is how Skinner was able to make the pigeons peck the board when the word ‘PECK’ was displayed, or turn around when the word TURN’ was displayed. The change or control is brought about by a reinforcement that awards or punishes the subject’s response. Based on the information you read from the “Standard 8: Research and Publication” section of the APA Code of Ethics, which ethical principles do you think apply to the current study of optogenetics, as mentioned in the video? Optogenetics involves modifying human behavior by targeting specific cells in the brain. This may be used to control things like appetite, which can violate people's rights and dignity. It is possible that this can be used to target people who certain backgrounds who are more prone to obesity – like poor urban dwellers who cannot afford healthy meals. It may also affect beneficence and nonmaleficence, where researchers could get carried away and be tempted to go extra steps that were not initially in the scope of the research. Select one of the following scenarios based on your particular field of interest in psychology. This case study will be referenced in additional assignments throughout this course. Note: If you are considering pursuing a specific psychology track, it is recommended that you choose the appropriate case study. • Case Study 1 (Industrial/Organizational Psychology): A few months ago, the upper management of a large corporation that employs 2,500 people decided to implement major changes in the method their company handles the development of projects. This change was based on a well-known model used in the military that was familiar to the CEO. The reasoning for the change was not wellcommunicated to employees; it was simply mandated to be implemented without providing required, significant learning or training opportunities. Many employees do not feel they fit of this model is beneficial for their particular type of programs. As a result, employee morale is low, and group dynamics and personal work performance are suffering because the work process as it relates to their job performance is not understood. • Case Study 2 (General and Applied Psychology): The staff at a large mental health clinic has noticed that patients age 35 and older respond well to calls regarding follow-up appointments and medication reminders. However, patients younger than 35 have a much lower response rate to phone call reminders. They do not answer calls and do not often respond to voice mail requesting they call the clinic back; they are more likely to respond to text messages or social media outreach. The result is that many follow-up appointments are missed and patients do not take their medication as directed. Missed medication and appointments result in poor quality of mental health for patients, and missed appointments result in added costs for the clinic. The approximate number of patients on the telephone recall list is 1,500, and 60% are above 35 years of age. Copyright © 2016 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. 1 Ethics and Case Study Worksheet PSY/245 Version 4 Address the following issues in 260 to 350 words: • • • • • • After selecting a case study, think about how you could research this scenario. Compose at least one research question for the case study you selected. What is the goal of the research you are proposing to address for your chosen case study? Define the steps of the research process you would follow. Evaluate how ethical considerations would affect your research. Explain how you will consider cultural diversity in the interpretation of your research findings. Case Study 2: The first step in this research would be to find out why the patients behave the way they do based on their ages. Is it because the patients above 35 years take their health more seriously, or is it because they have systems around them, like spouses, who push them to go and pick up their prescriptions? Do the patients below 35 years feel invincible and are, therefore, more likely to ignore going to pick up their prescription, or is it because the clinic does not insist on the importance of taking all the prescribed medication? The research would focus on the most efficient methods of contacting the patients to make sure that they pick up their prescriptions. It would also make sure that every patient is well-coached on the importance of taking all their prescriptions, along with the merits and demerits of taking or refusing to take them. The steps I would follow are first to identify the percentage of patients who are taking their prescriptions faithfully. I would then follow up with them to see what motivates them to do so. Similarly, I would check to see why those that refuse to take their medication do so. I then would tabulate the data and come up with a way to motivate the second group. It is imperative that ethics are considered in this research, paying attention to things like the confidentiality of the patients. To see the effect of cultural diversity on the research question, I would ask the patients about how they, and their families, have adhered to their prescriptions in the past. I would follow up by inquiring whether they think whether their behavior is motivated by their upbringing. References Copyright © 2016 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. 2
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