issues and debates -> ethical implications of research studies and theory

Question 1

What are ethical implications?

Answer 1

The consequences of any research in terms of effects on individual pps or the way certain groups are subsequently regarded

Question 2

What is social sensitivity?

Answer 2

Sieber and Stanley (1988) describes studies where there are potential social consequences either directly for the pps or the group of people represented by the research

Question 3

What example is there of the ethical implications of research studies?

Answer 3

• Milgram’s (1963) research had to consider whether the ‘ends justify the means’
• pps deceived and unable to give fully informed consent
• experiment caused significant distress and pps were told or coerced to continue against their will
• on other hand, pps debriefed after experiment and a follow-up interview a year later suggested pps suffered no long-term effects

Question 4

What example is there of the ethical implications of theories?

Answer 4

• Bowlby’s theory of attachment suggests children form one special attachment bond, usually with their mother, which must take place within a critical period
• Bowlby suggested this attachment bond affects their future relationships
• While it contributed to development of childcare practices, it also encouraged the view that a woman’s place is at home with her children, which could make some mother’s feel guilty for wanting to return to work following childbirth

Question 5

What 3 concerns for socially sensitive research did Sieber and Stanley (1988) identify?

Answer 5

1) Wider implications
2) Uses/public policy
3) Validity of the research

Question 6

What did wider implications refer to?

Answer 6

What people might do with the findings
- e.g. studies may give scientific credibility to controversial findings

Question 7

What did uses/public policy refer to?

Answer 7

Research may be used to shape public policy e.g. 11+ exam

Question 8

What did validity of the research refer to?

Answer 8

Because the subject may generate strong opinions, the research may be effected by the researcher’s own biases and perceptions - can lead to politically/ideologically motivated research

Question 9

What is the first stage of planning and conducting studies important when thinking of social sensitivity?

Answer 9

Research question
- Sieber and Stanley warn that the way research questions are phrased and investigated may influence the way findings are interpreted

Question 10

What is the second stage of planning and conducting studies important when thinking of social sensitivity?

Answer 10

Dealing with participants
- issues like informed consent, confidentiality and psychological harm important in socially sensitive research
- pps should provide informed consent at start of study but not fully understand effect of research

Question 11

What is the third stage of planning and conducting studies important when thinking of social sensitivity?

Answer 11

The ways findings are used
- Researchers should consider in advance how findings may be used
- May impact on what data they actually collect
- especially important because findings from research may be seen as giving scientific credence to existing prejudices such as studies examining ethnic basis of intelligence

Question 12

Evaluation: Benefits of socially sensitive research on society -> strength

Answer 12

• Milgram’s study of obedience - found under certain circumstances people will obey orders to cause someone else harm if instructed by an authority figure
• people would not have recognised how mindlessly obedient people can be
• led to society having a diff view about why genocide occurs
• not necessarily down to acts carried out by evil people but rather those who are just following orders
• socially sensitive research helped improve notions on obedience within societies

Question 13

Evaluation: Negative consequences on groups being studied -> limitation

Answer 13

• can lead to issues of discrimination so some argue against conducting this form of research
• research examining racial differences in IQ used to justify new forms of social control
• 1907-63: over 64,000 individuals were forcibly sterilised under eugenic legislation in the US where at least 2,000 sterilisations were performed on poor black women without their consent or knowledge
• could be ‘justified’ by flawed research findings arguing black Americans had lower IQ scores compared to whites

Question 14

Evaluation: Real-world application -> strength

Answer 14

• certain groups (policymakers) rely on research related to socially sensitive ideas
• gov looks to research when developing important social policies e.g. related to child care, education
• preferable to base such policies on scientific research than politically motivated views
• reason why the UK has independent groups like ONS who describe objective statistics about UK’s economy, society, and population
• such data used in psychological research
• means psychologists have an important role to play in providing high quality research on socially sensitive topics