Ethical Implications

Question 1

solution (benefit society/ schiz) Dw

Answer 1

P: Socially sensitive research can benefit society.
E: For example, the effect that culture bias has on the diagnosis of schiz with regards to auditory hallucinations experienced by African and West Indian individuals
E: It can promote greater sensitivity and understanding of underepresented groups and issues.
I: This helps reduce prejudice and encourage acceptance, demonstrating there are positive outcomes of socially sensitive research.

Question 2

solution (aids legal system) HB

Answer 2

P: Socially sensitive research can prevent miscarriages of justice within the legal system
E: Research into the unreliability of EWT specifically the case of Ronald Cotton shows that socially sensitive research plays a valuable role in society and is a positive consequence.
E: This is despite the fact the research may have had a negative impact on those individuals who had been eyewitnesses in trials

Question 3

solution (relflexivity) HB

Answer 3

P: The realisation that there are issues regarding ethical implications of socially sensitive research has meant that researchers are more reflexive.
E: This includes thinking more about what the research findings are likely to be used for.
E: As a result, it can make researcher’s take more responsibility for their findings and ensure that the work that they do does not lead to abuse or discrimination.

Question 4

Consequence (Discriminatory practices) DW

Answer 4

P: Socially Sensitive Research has been used to support discriminatory practices.
E: In America during the 1920’s and 1930’s, a large number of US states approved laws that led to the compulsory sterilization of citizens that were deemed to be “feeble-minded” and were drains on society.
E: This was based on the research from psychology and science that has suggested such people were “unfit to breed”.
I: This shows that socially sensitive research has negative impacts as it has been used inappropriately to “support” discriminatory practices.

Question 5

consequence + solution (political issues)

Answer 5

P: It is important that psychologists are free to carry out whatever research seems important to them
E: It is problematic if governments start passing laws to prohibit certain kinds of research, for example race-related research, due to there being issues of social sensitivity.
I: Researchers may need to be mindful that the benefits of the socially sensitive research must outweigh the costs.