Ethics & Social Sensitivity

Question 1

What is socially sensitive research?

Answer 1

Studies in which there are potential consequences either for the p’s in the research or the class of individuals represented

Question 2

BPS ethical guidelines

Answer 2

Respect, competence, responsibility, integrity

Question 3

Ethical issues which arise as a result of breaching these guileless include…

Answer 3

Privacy, confidentiality, deception, informed consent, physical or mental harm

Question 4

Sieber & Stanley (1998)

Answer 4

Recommendations to address ethical issues: awareness of potential consequences, collaboration with targeted groups, careful framing of research questions, ethical reflexivity, dissemination of findings

Question 5

Strengths of SSR

Answer 5

• Better understanding of societal issues (eg. Kinsey sexuality research led to removal of sociopathic personality disorder from DSM which stated that homosexuality is a psychological disorder)
• Methods to resolve ethical issues in SSR (eg. Understanding of consequences allow mitigation of consequences so benefits outweigh costs)

Question 6

Limitations of SSR

Answer 6

• Cost of SSR may outweigh benefit (eg. Difficult to foresee long term societal harm, possibly outweighing immediate scientific benefit)
• Misuse of SSR (eg. In 1920s some US states implemented sterilisation of low IQ, disabled, criminals, mentally ill)