Core ethical principles in psychology research regarding participants?

• A. Honesty, speed, fairness.
• B. Safety, privacy, efficiency.
• C. Respect for persons, beneficence, justice; plus confidentiality and debriefing.
• D. None of the above.

Answer: (C)

Ethical framework for research with people focuses on protecting participants by guiding how studies are conducted. The key ideas are respect for persons (recognizing autonomy and protecting those who may have diminished autonomy), beneficence (maximizing benefits while minimizing harm), and justice (fairness in who is asked to participate and who benefits from the research). These principles are carried out in practice through confidentiality to protect privacy and debriefing to inform participants about the study after they take part. Together, they form the standard approach researchers use to treat participants with dignity and safety.

The other options miss essential elements of this framework. One option mentions honesty, speed, and fairness, which doesn’t capture the full ethical principles or the emphasis on autonomy, harm minimization, and fairness in participant selection. Another option lists safety, privacy, and efficiency, which are important considerations but don’t encompass the full trio of fundamental principles and the debriefing requirement.