ethical implications (+socially sensative) Flashcards
What is socially sensitive research?
What can this lead to? E.g?
The potential consequenses/implications in studies, this is directly to the participant or group in the research
This leads to a change in the way groups are treated e.g. via social policy, or through public attitudes
Give a psychological example of social sensativity in research
Milgram: showed how people will obey orders from an authority figure, couldve fatally harmed someone
100% of ppts went to 300 volts
Give 2 implications of the psychological example of social sensative research
+ Realised how mindlessly obedient people can be>society having different view about why genocide occurs, its not necessarily down to the acts carried by evil people, theyre following orders
- People are inclined to take responsibility for their own actions, blaming those in authority e.g. teachers recieving blame for students results
Outline the Kinsey report
How did this improve social sensativity?
Annonymous interviews with over 5000 men about their sexual behaviour
Concluded that homosexuality is a normal variant of human sexual behaviour
But the DSM-1 listed homosexuality as a ‘sociopathic personality disorder’, this was removed because of the Kinsey report
People who identify as gay are no longer discriminated against>more people will come out> ^QoL
What are 3 effects of ethical implications, give examples w them
Increased resources- if research found women are more likely to suffer w depression, more funding will be allocated to womens health centres
Legislation changes- Bowlby’s research into the negative effects of maternal depravation influenced UK gov to NOT offer free childcare to under 5
Further research- groundbreaking research whcih found a cure to all illness would lead to more research to support claim
One limitation of socially sensitive research is that its costs and benefits may be difficult to predict
PET
E: Encouraged to weigh this up, but social consequences involving vulnreble groups may be diffifcult to anticipate
Real impact of research can only ever be known once it has been made public
T: Too late, not useful
One limitation of socially sensative research i that it may be used for social control
PET
E: Psychologists concluded that because some traits are genetic (e.g. eye colour), behaviour should also be genetic (e.g. criminality, IQ, disability)
This assumption led to sterilsation of people in USA from 1910-20 -‘eugenic movement’
T: Harmful, used as an excuse for discrimination
One strength of socially sensative research is that policy makers rely on this
PET
E: Gov needs research when creating policies for childcare, education, mental health, crime
Relying on this research is better than political views
T: Practical value in society
Give 3 ways to avoid social sensitive research
Reflexivity- process of continual reflextion upon the research process by a researcher, ‘self awareness’
Submit research proposals to ethics commitees and abide by any recomendations
Weigh up the pros and cons, only proceed when the benefits outweigh the cons
