ethical implications Flashcards
What are ethical implications?
No say in how findings are represented in media
May impact rights of participants
Influence on public policy, the way people are regarded
What is social sensitivity?
Sieber and Stanley: studies in which there are potential consequences for participants or those represented by research
Psychologists should not shy away from this
Have a social responsibility to carry it out
What are the concerns researchers should be mindful of when conducting socially sensitive research?
Implications
Uses/public policy
Validity
Why are implications an issue?
Carefully consider wider effects
Gives scientific credence to discrimination
Implications may be difficult to predict at outset
How are uses/public policy an issue?
What would happen if it was used for wrong purpose?
Adapted by government for political ends
How is validity an issue?
Objective findings of past have proved to be suspect or fraudulent
Social constructionist researchers now are more up front about their biases (reflexivity)
Describe Burt’s research
Influential in establishing 11+ examination
Used to determine whether children had secondary modern education or went to grammar school
Based on evidence that intelligence was genetic
Revealed he had made this up, 11+ remained for a few years
Evaluation - benefits of socially sensitive research
Scarr - studies of underrepresented groups promotes greater understanding
Benefits to society
Research into EWT reduced risk of miscarriage of justice
Evaluation - framing the question
Warnings about way research questions are phrased - may influence interpretations by media
Kitzinger and Coyle - research into alternative relationships has heterosexual bias
Investigators must have open mind
Evaluation - who gains?
Packard - research into subliminal messages + persuasion
Sales of Coke and popcorn increased when these images flashed up on cinema screens
This was actually made up
Manipulated the public
Used by marketing companies to advertise
Evaluation - social control
Sterilisation of ‘feeble-minded’ citizens in US
Low IQ, addicts, mentally ill
Supported by psychological community
Evaluation - costs and benefits
Ethics committee weighs costs and benefits of research
May be difficult to anticipate social consequences
Assessments are subjective
Describe Goddard’s research
Issued IQ tests to immigrants, majority were ‘feeble-minded’
What is Gould’s idea of scientific racism?
Criticised Goddard and other research on race and IQ
Intelligence is not a measurable entity
Cultural bias in IQ tests
