Question

Dr. Kushner is planning on conducting a study next semester. He is curious as to whether sleep deprivation is associated with poorer cognitive performance. For example, if you sleep poorly the night before a big exam, will you do worse? Dr. Kushner is especially curious about selective sleep deprivation, where people are kept from entering REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to monitor brain waves, he plans to let participants sleep until they enter REM sleep and then wake them. After the participants are awake for one minute, Dr. Kushner plans to let them return to sleep. As they enter REM sleep again, he will wake them again and follow the same procedure. He plans to do this through the entire eight-hour sleep session. The following morning, participants will be asked to take a sample SAT test.

Dr. Kushner asks his participants to provide informed consent. Doing this is adhering to which principle of the Belmont Report?
Select one:
a. The principle of beneficence
b. The principle of justice
c. The principle of integrity
d. The principle of respect for persons

Answer 1

Dr. Kushner's request for informed consent adheres to the Belmont Report's principle of respect for persons, which requires treating participants as autonomous agents and providing protection for those with diminished autonomy.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Dr. Kushner asks his participants to provide informed consent for his study on the effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance, he is adhering to the principle of respect for persons. This principle is one of the core tenets of the Belmont Report, which outlines ethical guidelines for conducting research involving human subjects. It emphasizes that participants must be treated as autonomous agents and that those with diminished autonomy are entitled to protection. The process of obtaining informed consent implies giving participants adequate information about the study, ensuring that they comprehend it, and assuring that the participation is voluntary.