ao1 ethical implications

Question 1

what is socially sensitive research?

Answer 1

— Any research that might have direct social consequences for
the participants in the research or the group that they represent.

Question 2

bps ethical guidelines

Answer 2

BPS ethical guidelines are respect, competence, responsibility and integrity.
The potential ethical issues which arise as a result of breaching these guidelines include privacy, confidentiality, valid methodology, deception, informed consent, equitable treatment, scientific freedom, ownership of data, values and the risk/benefit ratio.

Question 3

examples of socially sensitive research: Bowlby’s monotropic theory

Answer 3

• Bowlby was an advisor to the World Health
  The organisation in the 1950s, following his theory that the critical period for attachment formation with the primary caregiver was the first 2 years of life, and maternal deprivation during this time could have severe emotional and intellectual consequences for the child i.e. affectionless psychopathy/criminality and mental retardation. Therefore, this led to Britain being one of the only countries in the EU not to offer free
  childcare for children under the age of 5.

Question 4

Burt’s research into intelligence

Answer 4

Burt (1955) fraudulently published research
demonstrating that the heritability coefficient for intelligence was 0.77, and so played a significant part in the development of the 11+ examinations. Despite his work being proven as false and fraudulent, the 11+ exams still exist to this day, as well as the idea that children can be organised according to their ‘natural intelligence’ from an early
age.

Question 5

The consequences of socially sensitive research are:

Answer 5

Uses/public policy (e.g. Burt’s influence on the 11+ exams), the validity of research (e.g. Burt’s work being proven as false) and the implications of the research (on the way in which individuals or groups of people view themselves and the way in which they’re viewed by society).