I&D- Ethical implications and social sensitivity

Question 1

Define socially sensitive research

Answer 1

Research that might have a direct social consequence for the participants in the research or the group that they represent.

Question 2

Define ethical implications

Answer 2

Ethical implications is where a researcher CONSIDERS the consequences that psychological research has on the rights of other people in a wider context

Question 3

what is social sensitivity
name the researchers who developed this term in (198_)

Answer 3

Where there are potential social consequences for the participants or the group of people represented by the research, The researches Sieber and Stanley 1988 came up with this term to describe these particular studies

Question 4

Define Ethical Issues

Answer 4

Ethical Issues are problems that arise when there’s conflict between the Rights of the participant and the Aims of the research

Question 5

What are the Ethical Guidelines

Answer 5

The Ethical guidelines are a set of principles set out by the BPS to help psychologists behave honestly and with integrity

Question 6

List the 7 ethical guidelines

Answer 6

1. Informed Consent
2. Deception
3. Protection from harm
4. Confidentiality
5. Right to withdraw
6. Debrief
7. competence

Question 7

Define the Implications of socially sensitive research

Answer 7

Social sensitivity research can lead to issues of discrimination

Socially sensitive research can be seen as giving ‘scientific’ credibility to any prejudice or discrimination,
as well as to justify public policy. For example, be adopted by government for political means

Question 8

What are the 2 implications on wider society - research which directly impacted society
1. pu____ po_____
e.g. B______
2. How certain groups are t_______
e.g. U_ I_ A_____
e.g. H_______ 2_ n_____

Answer 8

1. The influencing of public policy
   For example, Bowlby’s research made society change and introduce maternity leave to reduce parents sending their babies to hospital nursery, when the mother only accompanied the baby whilst feeding.
2. The way certain social groups are treated
   For example, the US IQ Army Test- discrimination towards African-Americans
   For example, Hofling’s study on 21 nurses- injection amount that went against policy by a doctor speaking over the phone
   and how that has an impact on individuals

Question 9

Should socially sensitive research be conducted and what researcher other than ,Sieber and Stanley 1988, has an opinion of this - clue is Aro______ 199
Name a socially sensitive study you have learnt- M______ 196

Answer 9

Yes socially senstive research should be conducted because Aronson 1999 states that psychologists do have has ‘social responsibility’ to conduct them because otherwise society will never move forwards.

Question 10

Name the 4 steps in the ‘research process’

Answer 10

1. The research question
2. Conduct of research and treatment of ppts
3. The institutional context
4. Interpretation and application of findings

Question 11

Explain the 4 steps in the ‘research process’

Answer 11

1. The research question- asking a question which may have a damaging effect on particular racial or gender groups because it appears to add scientific credibility to present prejudice.
2. Conduct of research and treatment of participants- keeping confidentiality of ppts when data is collected
3. The institutional context- Who is funding the research because some private companies fund research, which may lead to misreport of findings
4. Interpretation and application of findings- The findings may be used for other purposes other than originally intended

Question 12

Do you need to mention Ethical guidelines in
1. The research question
when talking about the 4 scientific research process that raise ethical implications in socially sensitive research

Answer 12

No, do not talk about ethical guidelines in the research question

Question 13

Do you need to mention Ethical guidelines in
2. conducting the research and treatment to ppts (methodology used)

when talking about the 4 scientific research process that raise ethical implications in socially sensitive research

Answer 13

Yes, in the research question do talk about ethical guidelines such as confidentiality so they have anonymity

Question 14

Do you need to mention Ethical guidelines in
3. Institutional Context
when talking about the 4 scientific research process that raise ethical implications in socially sensitive research

Answer 14

No, do not talk about ethical guidelines in Institutional context, but do mention unconscious bias

Question 15

1st para
evaluation

Strength of s_____ s____ research is there’s research support S_____ and St_____ 198_ who provide a mech____ to safe____ indiv ind______ aff____ by psychological research.

eth__ gui_____ don’t require researchers to cons___ their findings could be interpreted to sha__ a soc__ p____.

example heter______ bi__ homo is being jud____ against heter_____ nor__

Answer 15

P- A strength of socially sensitive research is that there’s research support, Sieber and Stanley 1988, who provide a mechanism to safeguard individuals indirectly affected by psychological research. Current ethical guidelines, don’t require researchers to consider how their findings could be interpreted to shape a social policy.
E- For example, research into alternative relationships has been guilty of heterosexual bias because homosexual relationships were being judged against the heterosexual norms.
E- This demonstrates that socially sensitive research, can seriously offend particular groups, such as gender, sexual or racial groups, which leads to the researchers own reputation being ruined due to them not thinking about the impact of other people in a wider context.
L- Therefore, researchers must approach a investigation from the start with an open mind and think carefully about their research question, as well as prepare to have their preconceptions challenged, to avoid misrepresenting minority groups

Question 16

Para 2:
evaluation

A ri___ of findings being misi______ is why some want to av___ SSR e.g. ra__, se_____ and ge____

Example- M______ 196_
broke gui_____ - de____ and in____ c_____

Answer 16

P- The risk of findings being misinterpreted is perhaps why, some psychologists suggest to avoid conducting socially sensitive topics that include race, sexuality and gender.
E- For example, Milgram’s 1963 was socially sensitive to Obedience, where findings suggested that people will obey orders when asked by authority. Some psychologists would say that this research would have had negative impacts on the ppts as they found it distressing.
E- Furthermore, this is because Milgram’s broke the Ethical Guidelines as they were: deceived and didn’t give informed consent, which some believe this research was too sensitive and shouldn’t have been conducted.
L- However, some believe Milgram’s had positive ethical implications because as a society we learnt more about obedience, shaping more social policy’s, although the ppts found it distressing, they were debriefed straight after, as well as one year after and showed no long term negative impacts.

Question 17

Para 3:
evaluation

In addition Aron___ 19_9 had views that psychologists have a ‘s____ res______’

example EW_ e.g. Fli____ et al young c______ have more reliable accounts if questioned in a ti_____ and approp___ man___

Shows how SSR helps improve E_T to improve society

Answer 17

P- In addition, Aronson 1999 had strong views that all psychologists have a ‘social responsibility’ to conduct socially sensitive research, in order to progress society.
E- For example, the research into Eyewitness Testimony, especially in child witnesses (e.g. Flin et al) has found that young children can be reliable witnesses but only if they are questioned in a timely and appropriate manner.
E- This meant that the development of a good relationship between psychologists and legal professions has helped to improve the accuracy of children EWT.
L- This is a clear demonstration of how socially sensitive research has a positive outcome and played a valuable role in improving society, to reduce the amount of miscarriages of justice in the legal system.

Question 18

Para 4:
evaluation

There can be dis_____ in SSR so that why some argue agaisnt cond____ this research

example- rac___ diff____ in IQ was used to jus____ new but unwarr____ forms of social con___

64,____ indiv were forc___ sterili___ under eug__ legi______ in US in 1972

due to robert Y___ who has flawed findings of black Ameri_____ having lo____ IQ than wh___

impacted many people

Answer 18

P- Finally, there can be discrimination in socially sensitive research which is a reason why some psychologists argue against conducting this form of research.
E- For example, examining the racial differences in IQ has been used to justify new but unwarranted forms of social control. This occurred between 1907-1963, where 64,000 indiv were forcibly sterilised under eugenic legislation in the US in 1972. Later revealed that 2,000 of them were on poor black women without their consent or knowledge.
E- This could be ‘justified’ due to flawed findings by Robert Yerkes, which argued that black Americans had lower IQ in comparison to White Americans.
L- This highlights the serious issues and impact that flawed findings in socially sensitive research has on multiple people, which is another argument for suggesting that this type of research should not be continued.