Issues And Debates - Ethical Implications & Social Sensitivity.

Question 1

What are ethical implications?

Answer 1

The impact that pscyhological research may have in terms of the rights of others.
Can be at a societal level -> influencing public policy and/or the way certain groups are treated

Question 2

What is social sensitivity?

Answer 2

Sieber & Stanley -> ‘studies in which there are potential consequences/implications, either directly for the participants in the research of the class of individuals represented by the research’

Question 3

Why were ethical guidelines established?

Answer 3

To protect those involved in research

Question 4

What are some ethical issues in social sensitive research, pointed out by Sieber & Stanley?

Answer 4

Implications -> The wider effects of the research (some studies can give ‘scientific’ credence to discrimination) but can be difficult to predict
Uses/public policy -> What the research is going to be used & what would happen if it was used incorrectly needs to be considered
Validity of the research -> Some findings presented as objective in the past have been highly suspect/fraudulent -> many modern social constructionist researchers are more up front about their biases & preconceptions & comment on the reflexive nature of their work

Question 5

EVALUATION: What are the benefits of socially sensitive research?

Answer 5

Scarr argues studies of underrepresented groups & issues may promote greater sensitivity & understanding of them
It has benefited society -> e.g. research into the unreliability of eyewitness testimony = reduced risk of miscarriages of justice n the legal system (valuable)

Question 6

EVALUATION: What are the issues with framing the question?

Answer 6

Sieber & Stanley warn the way which research questions are phrased & investigated may influence how the findings are interpreted e.g. cross-cultural research may be blighted by ethnocentrism from researchers -> suggests investigators must approach research with ‘open mind’ & be prepared to have preconceptions challenged to avoid misinterpreting minority groups

Question 7

EVALUATION: What are the issues with who gains from socially sensitive research?

Answer 7

It has been used to influence social policy despite dubious nature of its findings & can have consequences e.g. Packard did a study and claimed the sales of Coca-Cola & popcorn increased significantly when the cinema screen flashed images of them too quickly so the audience wasn’t aware -> however he made them up
Research that seeks to manipulate the public has ethical implications & raises issues of who benefits from the research which is difficult to manage when the research is out there

Question 8

EVALUATION: What are the issues with research being used for social control?

Answer 8

America in 1920s-30s -> large number of US states enacted legislation that led to compulsory sterilisation of individuals on the grounds that they were a drain on society (drug/alcohol addicts, low IQ & mentally ill) which was supported by multiple many sections of psychological & scientific communities -> causes an argument against conducting socially sensitive research if it is going to ‘pop up’ discrimination

Question 9

EVALUATION: What are the costs & benefits of socially sensitive research?

Answer 9

Research with possible sensitive implications may be scrutinised by an ethics committee (weigh up pros & cons of research). However some of the social consequences of research may be difficult to anticipate -> real impact of research can only be known once it has been made public