Which of the following types of studies require approval by an internal review board (IRB) in psychological research?

• A. Studies using only animal subjects
• B. Studies involving computer simulations with no real subjects
• C. Studies involving human participants
• D. Studies analyzing publicly available data with no personal identifiers

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the role of an Internal Review Board (IRB): An IRB is a committee that reviews research proposals to ensure the ethical treatment and protection of human participants in research.
2. Identify the types of studies that involve human participants, as these require IRB approval to protect participants' rights and welfare.
3. Recognize that studies using only animal subjects do not require IRB approval but instead require approval from an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
4. Note that studies involving computer simulations with no real human or animal subjects do not require IRB approval because no participants are involved.
5. Understand that studies analyzing publicly available data with no personal identifiers typically do not require IRB approval because they do not involve direct interaction with human participants or identifiable private information.