Ethical implications & social sensitivity

Question 1

What are the 7 ethical guidelines?

Answer 1

• rights to Withdraw
• Debrief
• Protection from harm
• Deception
• Informed consent
• Confidentiality
• Observations (public place only)

Question 2

How should you deal with a lack of informed consent?
What is presumptive consent?

Answer 2

• Prior general consent (not informed)
• researched could gain presumptive consent
• getting a group of people similar to the pt’s to say yes to the study instead

Question 2

How should you deal with Issues of deception?

3 things

Answer 2

• Make changes to research design
• pre-screening to eliminate high-risk participants
• provide participants with as much info as possible during debriefing & promote rights to withdraw

Question 3

How should you deal with issues from protection from harm?

Answer 3

• Ensure you must not embarrass, frighten or offend participants
• The risk of harm should be no greater than what would be experienced in ordinary life
• Promote RTW & other therapies if necessary

Question 4

3 implications of psychological research that ethical guidelines can’t necessarily control?

3 things

Answer 4

1. Rights of people participating in research (partially covered in ethical guidelines)
2. Influence of Public policy (public forming negative views on a group)
3. Way certain social groups are treated (research may lead to discrimination/perceptions of a certain group)

Question 5

What did Sieber & Stanley (1988) define social sensitivity as?

Answer 5

• Studies where there are potential implications, directly for the participants or for the class of individuals represented by the research

Question 6

Sieber & Stanley (1988) identified 4 aspects in the research process that could bring about social consequences?

Answer 6

1. Research question
2. Conduct of research & treatment of pt’s
3. Institutional context
4. Interpretation & application of findings

Question 7

The research question as a social consequence?

Give an example?

Answer 7

• asking a research question may be damaging to members of a particular group as it appears to add scientific credibility to prevailing prejudice that group experiences
• what nationality has the highest IQ, would incorporate which nationality has the lowest IQ

Question 8

Conduct of research & treatment of pt’s as a social consequence?

give an example?

Answer 8

• confidentiality of info collected
• If a pt confesses to a crime, should confidentiality be maintained

Question 9

The institutional context as a social consequence?

give an example?

Answer 9

• research may be managed & funded by private institutions who may misuse the data/misunderstand the data
• for example Psychopharmacological researches testing new medication, to see if they work & then are sold for profit

Question 10

Interpretation & application of findings as a social consequence?

give an example?

Answer 10

• research findings may be used for other purposes that what was intended
• development of IQ tests by psychologists was used to demonstrate the inferiority of groups & ‘feeble-minded’ who could then be sexually sterilised

Question 11

5 ethical issues in socially sensitive research?

Answer 11

1. Valid methodology
2. Confidentiality
3. Informed consent
4. Ownership of data
5. Risk/benefit ratio

Question 12

Valid methodology in relation to social sensitivity?

Answer 12

• scientists may be aware of these invalid findings, but the media & public may not
• So poor studies might shape social policy that is incorrect

Question 13

Confidentiality in relation to social sensitivity?

Answer 13

• participants may be less likely to share info in the future if confidentiality is breached
• so future research could be invalid

Question 14

Informed consent in relation to social sensitivity?

Answer 14

• some participants may not understand what is involved in the study (mentally challenged)

Question 15

Ownership of data in relation to social sensitivity?

Answer 15

• issues involve the sponsorship or the research & the public accessibility of data

Question 16

Risk/benefit ratio in relation to social sensitivity?

Answer 16

• made difficult when research findings are unexpected & or costs/benefit of research are only realised after the research has been conducted

Question 17

What is meant by ethical implications of research & theory?

Answer 17

• impact of psychological research that impacts the rights of individuals, not just the pt’s taking part in the study

Question 18

3 reasons why psychologists should use socially sensitive research?

Answer 18

1. if you don’t conduct it your abandoning social responsibility to find out human behaviour
2. psychologists should have the freedom to research what they believe is important
3. not all socially sensitive research has to be controversial & can reduce prejudice & raise awareness

Question 19

Why could Bowlby’s monotropic theory (maternal deprivation) be regarded as socially sensitive?

cost benefit analysis?

Answer 19

• Negative implications for society as it may cause discrimination towards fathers who are primary caregivers
• Impacted working mothers who may have felt forced to stay at home - could have economic implications
• finding the importance of a monotropic figure may reverse equality in the workplace & impact the advancement of women in their careers

Question 20

How is Milgram’s research socially sensitive?

cost-benefit analysis?

Answer 20

• Psychological distress, many participants sweated & laughed nervously, 3 had seizures
• findings could be sued to help governments become more authoritarian (society obey leaders)
• society reacted badly & were shocked at the findings
  although results showed it is important to understand & recognise

Question 21

How is the schiz mother socially sensitive?

cost benefit analysis?

Answer 21

• Targets all mothers, appeared to place the blame of the development of schizophrenia on the mother& neglected other reasons such as high levels of dopamine in the brain
• impacted family relations, however did lead to effective family therapies to help dysfunctional families with schiz

Question 21

How should psychologists deal with socially sensitive research? (5 things)

Answer 21

1. consider potential implications so should discuss with colleagues
2. brief pt’s about implication potential
3. ensure the attainment of fully informed consent
4. rights to withdraw from the research at any time (even before results are published)
5. publish with discretion & a carefully worded introduction