Ethical Guidelines and Informed Consent in Research

Researchers in psychology are required to adhere to a strict set of ethical guidelines to ensure their studies uphold the rights and well-being of participants. One important aspect of these guidelines is the concept of informed consent, which mandates that participants are fully aware of the nature of the research and its potential risks before agreeing to take part.

However, there are exceptional circumstances where researchers may be allowed to bypass informed consent in order to maintain the integrity of the research or protect the participants from harm. Which of the following scenarios would likely justify such an action according to established ethical guidelines in psychological research?