Ethical Implications Flashcards
What are ethical implications?
=The consequences of any research in terms of the effects on individual participants or the way that certain groups of people are subsequently regarded. Or consequences on a wider societal level.
When were the ethical guidelines estalished?
1960s
What is social sensitivty?
Steiber and Staneley define socially sensitive research as research that has potential consequences or implications either directly for the participants or for the group of individuals represented by the research.
Example of social sensitive research?
For example, a study on long term memory is unlikely to have long term negative effects. However a study on depression may publish results that may affect people’s chance to be employed.
Social sensitivity: Aronson 1999:
Some areas of research have greater social sensitivity. These areas attract attention from researchers and the media/public. But they have great importance for society so as Aronson 1999 said researchers must not shy away from it.
Implications for the research process: research questions?
Steiber and Stanely warned that the way the question was phrased may influence the way the findings are interpreted. Kitzinger and Coyle 1995 studied alternative relationships by comparing the ‘hetrosexual norm’. Guilt of hetrosexual bias.
Implications to research: participant issues?
informed consent, confidentiality and psychological harm. May be more important if research involves sensitive topics, which could involve bringing up traumatic memories and cause stress.
Implications to research: findings?
researchers should consider in advance what the findings may be used for. Findings may be used as scientific credentials for pre-existing prejudice.
What were Steiber and Stanley’s concerns?
Implications- effect on participants and the group they represent.
Uses/public policy- findings may be used by the government for social policy.
Validity of the research- in the past, fraudulent findings have been presented objective and value free.
Strengths: Scarr:
Scarr argues that studies of underrepresented groups and issues may promote a greater sensitivity and understanding. This can help reduce prejudice and encourage acceptance by representing the unrepresented.
Strengths: improving society?
Eyewitness testimony research has helped society by reducing the risk of miscarrying justice.
Strengths: social policy?
Some groups rely on socially sensitive research. Governments want to base social policy and education/childcare on scientific research rather than politics. Socially sensitive research is important to the state.
Weaknesses: poor research design?
Poor research design- even when fraudulent research is exposed, it can still have long lasting impacts in the media. For example, Burt (1955) was influential in establishing the 11+ exam. But even after his research was exposed, the exam still continued.
Weaknesses: social control?
in the 20s and 30s a large number of US states legalised the sterilisation of many citizens on the grounds that they were ‘feeble minded’ and a drain on society. Including people on low intelligence, addicts or mentally ill people. At the time, it was supported by the psychology community. In the past, socially sensitive research had been used to prop up discrimination.
Weaknesses: difficulty to predict?
It is difficult to know the impacts of research until they actually happen and findings are given to the media/public. So the ethical committee’s cost/benefit analysis will be subjective and we cannot control the study’s ethics.
