8. socailly sensitive research Flashcards
what is socially sensitive research
social sensitive research is studies in which there are potential consequences or implications either directly for the participants in the research or for the class of individuals represented by the research.
some areas of study in psychology are likely to be more controversial than others and it is these areas that are thought to be more socially sensitive. they often confront taboo topics and attract a lot of attention from other psychologist but also from the media and general public at large.
however just because research is socially sensitive does not mean it should not be conducted .
what are the implications of socially sensitive research
use of the research = will the results be used in public policy and just to follow laws that could harm the people studied or wider society.
what are the wide effects of the research = will there be any negative implications impacts of the research. for example - validating prejudice against certain groups may lead to discrimination. will the potential positive implications override these.
this is why a full cost benefit analysis should be conducted prior to the study taking place.
how does the research impact different communities
participants = studies on relationship breakdowns and IQ.
organisations = negative coverage in the media could reduce profits and lead to businesses being closed down.
community = self fulfilling prophecy. if a study showed there has been more crime against older people they may not want to offer their time in the community as they are worried about crime.
what is the research likely to be used for
could the findings be used by the government for political means to develop public policy? if this happens are there any risks (will it lead to discrimination or prejudice).
what is the validity of the research
are the findings and conclusions objective and bias free? have the data to collect your methods been objective or been influenced by research bias?
if there is any possible bias in the research it must be highlighted immediately so others can judge the impact of it. researcher should also be given a chance to reflect on any possible bias - reflexivity.
what four groups may be affected by the research
members of the social group being studied such as racial or ethnic groups - for example early research on IQ was used to discriminate against US black people.
friends and relatives of those taking part in the study (particularly case studies) where individuals may become famous or infamous.
the research team there are examples of researchers being intimidated because of the line of research they are in.
the institution in which the research conducted.
what advice is given for socially sensitive research
warning that the way in which research questions are phrased and investigated may influence the way in which findings are interpreted - should be aware of how their findings may be interpreted and used by others.
researchers should not avoid researching socially sensitive issues as but is should have a responsibility to society to find useful knowledge.
they need to take care of a consent and debriefing issue sensitive.
make the limitations of this research explicit.
be careful how they communicate with the media and policy makers and be aware of the balance between the obligations to participants and those to society.
should be be aware of their own values and biases and those of the participants.
what is a negative example of socially sensitive research - haddow report (1926)
research linking intelligence to genetic factors can be seen as socially sensitive. for example - researchers used studies of identical twins to support the view that intelligence is largely genetic. their views greatly influenced the haddow report which led to the creation of the 11+ which was used from 1944 to 976.
this means that generations of children were affected by the 11+ exam, even though there has been a huge controversy regarding whether the researcher had falsified his research data.
what is a positive example of socially sensitive research - hamer (1993)
carried out genetic studies of gay men - by correlating patterns in sections of DNA he suggested that male homosexuality is heavily influenced by genetics. argued that gay men have no choice about being gay and the environmental influences make little difference and that homosexuality probably evolved because of survival advantages it gave to social groups.
what is a positive example of socially sensitive research - rosenhan (1973)
conducted a study on being sane in insane places. SSR such as rosenhans landmark (1973) study on psychiatric hospitals in the US can shed light on institutional shortcomings. by revealing the dehumanising treatment of vulnerable patients these studies push for an overhaul of care protocols and standards.
what are arguments for socially sensitive research
most research is still carried out on white middle class americans. SSR is helping to readdress the balance and make us more aware of other cultures and outlooks.
positive effects.
SSR has been of benefit to society. for example - made us aware that EWT can be flawed and should not be used without corroboration.
what are arguments against socially sensitive research
SSR creates ethical dilemmas = often navigates complex ethical waters, balancing the need for valid findings against the potential harm or stigma to participants.
risk of misinterpretation = once published these studies can be misrepresented or sensationalised by media, potentially leading to public misunderstanding or harm.
may put vulnerable groups at risk = poorly conducted research can inadvertently stigmatize or marginalize the very groups it aims to help, leading to negative social consequences.
risk of political backlash = findings from SSR could be politically or culturally controversial and this might discourage funding or even lead to the suppression of results.
how can the effects of SSR be reduced
research question = the researcher must consider their research question carefully. asking questions like ‘are there racial differences in IQ’ or ‘ is intelligence inherited’ may be damaging to members of a particular group.
methodology used = the researcher needs to consider the treatment of the participant’s and their right toconfidentialityandanonymity.for example - if someone admits to committing a crime or to having unprotected sex if they are HIV positive, should the researcher maintain confidentiality?
institutional context = the researcher should be mindful of how the data is going to be used and consider who is funding the research. if the research is funded by a private institution or organisation, why are they funding the research and how do they intend to use the findings?
interpretation and application of findings = the researcher needs to consider how their findings might be interpreted and applied in the real world. could their data or results be used to inform policy?
how is real world application strengthen the use of socially sensitive research
certain groups rely on research related to socially sensitive issues. the government looks to research when developing important social policies - for example decisions related to childcare, education and mental health provision, crime and so on.
it is clearly preferable to base such policies on scientific research rather than politically motivated views. for this reason in the UK there are independent groups (such as the ONS office for national statistics) who described themselves as being responsible for collecting, analysing and disseminating objective statistics about the economy, society and population - such data is used in psychological research.
this means that psychologists have an important role to play in providing high quality research on social sensitive topics.
how does poor research design limit the use of socially sensitive research
may lead to erroneous findings which once in the public arena continue to have an impact.
this was the case in relation to 11+ research because even after the fraud was exposed the 11+ continued to be used - indeed the 11+ is still used as a selection tool in parts of the UK today.
similarly access to many independent school is based on a child performance on an entry exam taken in year 6 or age 11 and is based on the same reasoning that genetic potential has revealed itself by this age.
therefore any research on socially sensitive topics needs to be planned with the greatest care to ensure the findings are valid because of the enduring effects on particular groups of people.
