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1. What special steps must investigators take in conducting studies of children

ID: 3446433 • Letter: 1

Question

1. What special steps must investigators take in conducting studies of children and the aged to ensure a protection from harm and informed consent? 2. What aspect of behaviorism made it attractive to critics of the psychoanalytic perspective? How did Piaget's theory respond to a major limitation to behaviorism? 1. What special steps must investigators take in conducting studies of children and the aged to ensure a protection from harm and informed consent? 2. What aspect of behaviorism made it attractive to critics of the psychoanalytic perspective? How did Piaget's theory respond to a major limitation to behaviorism? 2. What aspect of behaviorism made it attractive to critics of the psychoanalytic perspective? How did Piaget's theory respond to a major limitation to behaviorism?

Explanation / Answer

1. Ethics refers to the correct rules of conduct necessary when carrying out research. Whenever possible investigators should obtain the consent of participants. Psychologists should, so far as is practicable explain what is involved in advance and obtain the informed consent of participants.

Before the study begins the researcher must outline to the participants what the research is about, and then ask their consent (i.e. permission) to take part. Parents/legal guardians of minors can also provide consent to allow their children to participate in a study.

Researchers must ensure that those taking part in research will not be caused distress. They must be protected from physical and mental harm. This means you must not embarrass, frighten, offend or harm participants.

The researcher must also ensure that if vulnerable groups are to be used (elderly, disabled, children, etc.), they must receive special care. For example, if studying children, make sure their participation is brief as they get tired easily and have a limited attention span.

Participants should be able to leave a study at any time if they feel uncomfortable. They should also be allowed to withdraw their data. They should be told at the start of the study that they have the right to withdraw.

2.Psychoanalytic theory emphasized that human behaviour is a result of our thoughts comprising of the id, ego and superego. However the theory was criticized because many of its ideas were too vague to be measured or tested for. They mainly focused on case studies. Psychoanalytic theorists tended to be uninterested in other methods of observation and research. Many psychoanalytic ideas such as psychosexual stages and ego functioning are very difficult or nearly impossible to test empirically. Behaviorism studied directly observable behaviors through stimuli and responses, thus allowing researchers to be measure and test behaviors.

Piaget’s theory acknowledged the biological aspect of learning in a child’s development, which was a major limitation in behaviorism. Piaget believed that children are not merely passive beings whose learning depends on reinforcers. He also believed that their cognitive development takes place in stages and that children are constantly gaining knowledge as they manipulate and explore their world.