You need to choose ONE research case; either Research Case A or B.
A more robust response will result if completed after the Week 7 material has been accessed.
In addition, this gives you a good opportunity to respond to a Vx case in full, as preparartion for the 2nd assessment where your submitted case will be graded. Prepare well by integharting some references into your free text responses- perhaps references that support your discussion of ethical issues or of research factors.
Psychology researchers from University X are considering examining coping and adjustment processes of children living in situations of war.
The proposed study aims to understand the effects of political violence by interviewing Palestinian children living on the West Bank (the border between Palestine and Israel).
If the study were to go ahead, invaluable insight could be gained to develop a counselling programme specifically catering to the psychological issues of war-affected refugee children in New Zealand.
However, in Palestine it is not unusual for political spies to pose as journalists or researchers in hopes of gathering information which can result in torture, home invasion and imprisonment. Due to this, potential research participants and their families will be very wary of any participation in research.
Ethical and logistical issues surrounding informed voluntary consent, confidentiality, cultural awareness and issues around using vulnerable populations need to be thoroughly examined.
Suppose that you are on the university’s Ethics Committee which will decide whether to grant ethical approval for this study.
Acknowledgment goes to Catherine Tearne, a former PPE student who provided this case for deliberation.