The Use Of Children In Psychological Studies

Question 1

Name 4 practical issues that come with using children in psychological research.

Answer 1

Language development
Social desirability response
Demand characteristics
Sampling issues

Question 2

Name 3 ethical issues that can arise when working with children in psychological research

Answer 2

Consent
Protection from harm
Right to withdraw

Question 3

Practical issue 1: Language development-

Answer 3

Children’s language can be limited thus researchers must find other data collection methods suitable to the ppts.
(for instance not using standard questions in self reports)

Question 4

Practical issues 2- socially desirability response

Answer 4

If the data about the children is collected through parents, there is an increased risk of socially desirability response. Parents may be conscious of looking like a bad parent.

Question 5

Practical issue 3- demand characteristics

Answer 5

More likely to occur with children ppts and older children who are typically less naive. This is because children may look for cues in order to act a certain way to please adults.

Question 6

Practical issue 3: sampling issues

Answer 6

There may be issues that arise when trying to access children due to safeguarding. Thus researchers may rely on opportunity samples (unrepresentative)

Question 7

Consent-

Answer 7

Parents will give consent for v young children. Older children will be asked consent and also their parents must.

Question 8

Protection from harm

Answer 8

Children generally may be more anxious that adults. As they are in a strange/unusual place (validity)

Question 9

Right to withdraw

Answer 9

Children may not be as confident to withdraw themselves or their results from a study. (Unlikely)