In a school-based investigation on the effects of aerobic training on cardiovascular efficiency, researchers must carefully consider ethical implications alongside validity, reliability, and credibility.
Analyse how ethical considerations in data collection might impact the validity, reliability, and credibility of the investigation's findings. (6 marks)
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Sample Answer
- Informed consent requirements may limit data collection methods to non-invasive procedures, potentially reducing validity if the most valid measures (such as blood lactate sampling) are excluded in favor of less invasive but less direct measurements.
- Participant comfort and safety concerns may necessitate modifications to testing protocols, such as submaximal rather than maximal testing, which creates a reliability trade-off between participant welfare and obtaining the most consistent physiological responses.
- The need to accommodate varying fitness levels ethically requires individualised protocols or early termination criteria, introducing methodological variability that may compromise the standardisation required for high reliability.
- Privacy and confidentiality obligations might restrict the collection of potentially relevant health information or demographic data, limiting the ability to identify confounding variables that could impact validity.
- Ethical requirements for voluntary participation acknowledge participants’ right to withdraw, potentially creating self-selection bias or incomplete data sets that affect the credibility of findings.
- Despite these challenges, adhering to ethical standards ultimately enhances credibility as it demonstrates scientific integrity and responsible research practices, even if methodological compromises are made.
Show Worked Solution
Sample Answer
- Informed consent requirements may limit data collection methods to non-invasive procedures, potentially reducing validity if the most valid measures (such as blood lactate sampling) are excluded in favor of less invasive but less direct measurements.
- Participant comfort and safety concerns may necessitate modifications to testing protocols, such as submaximal rather than maximal testing, which creates a reliability trade-off between participant welfare and obtaining the most consistent physiological responses.
- The need to accommodate varying fitness levels ethically requires individualised protocols or early termination criteria, introducing methodological variability that may compromise the standardisation required for high reliability.
- Privacy and confidentiality obligations might restrict the collection of potentially relevant health information or demographic data, limiting the ability to identify confounding variables that could impact validity.
- Ethical requirements for voluntary participation acknowledge participants’ right to withdraw, potentially creating self-selection bias or incomplete data sets that affect the credibility of findings.
- Despite these challenges, adhering to ethical standards ultimately enhances credibility as it demonstrates scientific integrity and responsible research practices, even if methodological compromises are made.