ethical implications Flashcards
ethical implications
the consequences of psychological research for individuals, groups and wider society
social sensitivity
research is socially sensitive when it has potentially negative consequences for groups represented in the research
implications for research - research question
phrasing may have negative impact on groups eg judging homosexual relationships against heterosexual norms
implications - dealing with participants
informed consent, protection from harm and confidentiality
how findings are used
may give scientific credibility to prejudice and discrimination, used to justify public policy
benefits for group
P - strength is that it can have benefits for the group being studied
E - eg homosexuality removed from DSM due to Kinsey report based on anonymous interviews
E - showed homosexuality is typical expression of human sexual behaviour
L - illustrates the importance of researchers tackling topics that are sensitive
P - some studies could have negative consequences
E - eg research on genetic base on criminality found criminal gene
E -if true, someone convicted based on gene - not held responsible for crime
L - when researching socially sensitive topics, need for very careful consideration of outcomes
real-world application
P - strength is certain groups rely on research related to socially sensitive issues
E - government when developing social policies eg child care, education, crime
E - in Uk independent groups eg ONS that describe themselves as responsible for collecting, analysing and disseminating objective statistics
L - psychologists have important role to play in providing quality research on socially sensitive topics
poor research design
P - one limitation is poor research design may lead to incorrect findings
E - eg impacted education system with false research causing 11+ to have continued use in the UK
E -independent schools have entrance exams based on same reasoning
L - any research needs to be planned with care to ensure findings are valid as can have long lasting effects