Which of the following research scenarios would present a likelihood of harm to the participants?

• A. A questionnaire assessing general life satisfaction
• B. An experiment measuring reaction times to visual stimuli
• C. A study that asks participants to recall traumatic childhood experiences in detail during interviews
• D. A survey about participants' favorite leisure activities

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of 'likelihood of harm' in psychological research, which refers to the potential for physical, emotional, or psychological distress or discomfort experienced by participants during or after the study.
2. Step 2: Evaluate each research scenario by considering the nature of the task and its potential impact on participants' well-being.
3. Step 3: Recognize that questionnaires about general life satisfaction, reaction time experiments, and surveys about leisure activities are generally low-risk and unlikely to cause harm.
4. Step 4: Identify that asking participants to recall traumatic childhood experiences in detail can evoke strong emotional responses, potentially causing psychological distress or harm.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the scenario involving detailed interviews about traumatic experiences presents the highest likelihood of harm to participants due to the sensitive and potentially distressing nature of the content.