Although this was not always the case in the history of psychology, modern researchers must demonstrate that their work is ethically sound<\/span> before it begins.<\/p>\r\n When human subjects are involved in research, strict guidelines are in place to prevent harm. Institutions that receive federal funding for research involving human subjects must have an Institutional Review Board (IRB)<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n The IRB is a committee of individuals often made up of members of the institution\u2019s administration, scientists, and community members. The purpose of the IRB is to review proposals for research that involve human participants. The IRB reviews these proposals with the principles mentioned above in mind, and generally, approval from the IRB is required for the experiment to proceed.<\/p>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_163\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"375\"] Before a study can begin, the IRB must confirm that the research design protects participants\u2019 rights, safety, and privacy<\/b><\/span>. Every approved study must include:<\/p>\r\n The informed consent form<\/b><\/span> should describe the study as clearly and honestly as possible\u2014without influencing how participants behave.<\/p>\r\n Sometimes, researchers use deception<\/b><\/span>\u2014withholding or slightly misleading information\u2014to ensure participants\u2019 natural behavior and protect the integrity of the study.<\/p>\r\n For example, if a researcher is studying how attire affects first impressions, they might not tell participants the true purpose until afterward. However, deception must never cause harm<\/span> or significant distress.<\/p>\r\n After the study, participants must receive a debriefing<\/b><\/span>, which provides:<\/p>\r\nResearch Involving Human Participants<\/h3>\r\n
institutional review board (IRB)<\/h3>\r\n
![\"Room](\"https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/01\/01202957\/2.1.4.1-300x200.jpeg\")
Figure 1<\/strong>. An institution\u2019s IRB meets regularly to review experimental proposals that involve human participants. (credit: International Hydropower Association\/Flickr)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe Role of the IRB<\/b><\/h3>\r\n
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Deception and Debriefing<\/b><\/h3>\r\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224529\/CNX_Psych_02_06_rat.jpg\")
Figure 2<\/strong>. Rats, like the one shown here, often serve as the subjects of animal research.[\/caption]\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n