Controversies- Ethical Guidelines Flashcards
What are our four themes?
-Benefits to society and the economy
-Individual participants
-Potentially negative consequence for society
-Risk management techniques used by psychologists
Introduction?
There are those who argue psychological research that benefits many people outweighs the ethical cost to individual participants or even society
Other psychological research that has any ethical cost to the participant is never justified
However- this is simplistic view
Both sides can agree that psychological research has ethical cost as well as benefits, disagreement is about the subjective degree of these costs and benefits
What is social sensitivity?
Research that has a potentially negative consequence for those involved, participants of research or group of people the research represents
Para 1- Potentially negative consequence for society?
S- Some psychological research that’s been conducted is socially sensitive research and could have neg consequences for society and for p’s involved
E-Conducting research can be damaging to certain groups in society as it contributes to the scientific credibility of argument. If given the go ahead is it fuling the prejudice that could arise
E- For example, Bowlby’s 44 thieves study found mothers attachment was essential within child’s development as that need comfort to prevent being affectionless and ultimately committing crime
C- But research like this can put pressure on women to look after children so feel that they can’t work
W- Overall may be controversial but within this element of studys race secuality ect, it may need it with study’s applicable to our growing diverse community but we do have to recognise the damage caused
Para 2- Benefits to society and the economy
S–Benefits to society and the economy
E-May be beneficial in society as it can give us knowledge that we didn’t know before or it could be the improvement and the development of existing knowledge. Judged by practical applications in terms if behaviour modification for mental illness or changes in govt policy. Benefits to the economy
E- For example watson and Raynor conditioned little albert a fear of white rats, they chose to use a negative emotion causing distress from albert which is unethical
C- However if research wasn’t conducted its unclear if we would know how phobias created, could have used a positive emotion and results would be similar
W- yes benefits on ethical cost, only one participant, one suffers for greater good
Para 3- Risk management techniques used by psychologists?
S- A range of risk techniques used
E- Psychological research can raise a number of negative consequence so there must be risk management techniques, the BPS set out guidelines PCDRIP, Aronson suggests dealing with ethical cost is to use cost benefit analysis weighing up how much good derives from research against potential harm or distress, but Baumrind argues that this solves nothing
E- For example milgram and his students believed only 3% if sample would go up to 450 volts compared to 65% so if he didnt do study he couldn’t have protected from harm as they could never understand obedience levels
W- Ultimately risks will always take place so we should continue with guidelines, sometimes we are unaware if research has a risk as the researcher never intended to harm when doing research so may be inevitable
Para 4- Individual participants?
S- Research dependant on people willing to take part, welfare of individuals is of equal importance as the benefits of the research to wider society, from the point of view of ps, all have ethical cost but none of the benefits of research
E- Milgram harmed the participants when deceived into believing they were administering shocks causing 3 seizures, emotional and physical reactions and finally were told they couldn’t leave
C- But by doing research participants may learn things about themselves e.g. 65% said they are happy they took part in the study
W- Therefore the research may be damaging causing long term harm as we cant always be aware if p’s are harmed
However their are ways to prevent this via debriefs
Conclusion?
Ethical costs of the people being harmed may not always ought weigh the evidence which could cause policy law changes
e.g. Bowlby’s research led to more maternity leave as well as understanding of obedience and how phobias are conditioned
So although their are ethical issues they can be outweighed
