Ethical implications of research studies and theory

Question 1

What are ethical implications?

Answer 1

The consequences of any research in terms of the effects on individual participants or the way certain groups are regarded

Question 2

Describe examples of social sensitivity and ethical implications

Answer 2

1. research on long term memory in students may have consequences for social groups participants represent.
2. Studies on depression may have consequences for individuals who revealed personal information and this can be accessed by employers or family members. Findings can also cause a stigma for people with depression affecting their employment and perception. It can also affect social policy as findings on depression can inform preferred treatments.

Question 3

What Is socially sensitive research?

Answer 3

• Sieber and Stanley = studies in which there are potential consequences or implications for participants or a class of individuals

Question 4

How can research questions be changed?

Answer 4

• Sieber and Stanley warn that the way research questions are phrased can influence the way findings are interpreted
• Kitzinger and Coyle note how research into relationships have been found guilty of heterosexual bias and homosexual relationships are compared and judged against heterosexual norms

Question 5

How can participants be dealt with?

Answer 5

-informed consent, confidentiality and psychological harm are important in socially sensitive research
- for example, studies on domestic abuse can be stressful and require informed consent

Question 6

How can ethical implications change the way findings are used?

Answer 6

• researchers need to consider in advance how research findings are used
• research may give scientific credence to existing prejudices like ethnic studies
• also socially sensitive information may be publicised by media

Question 7

What is a strength of ethical implications?

Answer 7

• There are benefits for groups
• for example with homosexuality. The DSM - 1 had previously listed this as a sociopathic personality disorder but was finally removed
• This change was due to the Kinsey report which was based on anonymous interviews with over 5000 men and their sexual behaviour
• The report concluded that homosexuality is a typical expression of human sexual behaviour
• there was also data of interviews of 6000 women and caused outrage at the time

C = There may be negative effects of the groups being studied. For example, the genetic explanations of criminality can cause criminals to not be held accountable for their actions

Question 8

What is another strength? (RWA)

Answer 8

• there are groups that rely on research on socially sensitive issues
• The government look to research on child care, education, mental health when developing social policies
• this is more beneficial to minority groups than governments placing policies on social research
• In the UK, there are independent groups such as the office for national statistics who are responsible for collecting, analysing and using statistics about the UK’s economy, society and populations
• This data is used in psychological research which shows it has an important role

Question 9

What is a limitation of ethical implications?

Answer 9

• there is poor research design which can lead to erroneous findings
• for example Burts research who fraudulently published research that the heritability coefficient for intelligence was 0.77. This played a significant role In the development of 11+ exams.
• To this day, the 11+ is used as a selection tool for schools and the idea that children can be organised based on natural intelligence from an early age (from genetics)
• Therefore research on socially sensitive topics need to be planned with great care as they can have enduring effects for people.