Ethical Implications

Question 1

Ethical Guidelines

Answer 1

Informed consent

Deception

Protection from harm

Privacy and confidentiality

Right to withdraw

Debrief

Question 2

Ethical Implications

Answer 2

The impact that psychological research may have on the rights of other people in the wider context, not just the participants taking part in the research

Question 3

Social Sensitivity

Answer 3

Some areas of psychology are more controversial than others

“Taboo” topics such as sexuality and race generate more public interest

Seiber and Stanley ‘studies in which there are potential consequences or implications, either directly for ppts in the study or for the class for individuals represented by the research

Question 4

Ethical Issues in Socially Sensitive Research

Answer 4

Implications  (may be hard to predict) the wider effects of research should be carefully considered as some studies may be seen as giving ‘scientific’ evidence to discrimination. For example, studies examining the racial basis of intelligence

Public policy/uses  uses of the research? What happens if it is incorrectly used (such as by the government for political reasons or public policy)?

Validity of research  some findings turn out to be false but many modern social constructionist researchers include reflexive nature of their work in the publications

Question 5

A03 - Benefits of SSR

Answer 5

Scarr (1988) argues that studies of underrepresented groups and issues may promote a greater sensitivity and understanding.

Socially sensitive research has benefitted society e.g. research into the unreliability of eyewitness testimony has reduced the risk of miscarriages of justice within the legal system.

However :
Socially sensitive research is more likely to be rejected by institutional ethical committees.

Ceci et al. (1985) found that the rejection rate was about twice as great which suggests that university ethics departments are mindful of socially sensitive research and appropriate measures are put in place at an institutional level to protect individuals and the wider community from socially sensitive research

Question 6

A03 - Psychological Research

Answer 6

Sieber & Stanley warn psychologists to be mindful of the phrasing of research questions

Due to ethnocentrism, ambiguous research questions may be interpreted subjectively

Kitzinger & Coyle (1995)
Research into same sex relationships as been guilty of heterosexual bias

Homosexual relationships have been judged against the heterosexual norms