Issues and debates - ethical implications Flashcards
what are ethical implications?
consequences of research - benefits or problems
can affect groups represented in studies as well as the wider community/society
what is socially sensitive research?
studies with potential to provoke consequences for people in real life
examples of ways research could be socially sensitive
research that portrays specific groups in a negative way
research that provokes stereotyping
research that is used to decide government policy (NHS, education, etc)
what did Sieber and Stanley (1988) suggest?
they warned that the phrasing and investigation of questions may influence how findings are interpreted
what are the implications for the research process?
all stages of planning and conducting studies are important when thinking of social sensitivity
what did Kitzinger and Coyle (1995) find?
research into relationships has been guilty of ‘heterosexual bias’ in which homosexual relationships were compared and judges against heterosexual norms
how should participants be dealt with?
informed consent, confidentiality, and psychological harm may be particularly important for socially sensitive research
what should researchers consider about how findings are used?
it may impact what data they collect
findings can be used to give scientific justification to existing prejudices - e.g results from IQ testing used to support racist discourse
strength - socially sensitive research can benefit the groups studied
1952: DSM-1 listed homosexuality as a ‘sociopath personality disorder’
1973: this was removed as a result of the Kinsey report, based on interviews with 5000 men
limitation - socially sensitive studies can have negative consequences
research has found genetic basis for criminality (MAOA and CHD13). This implies that someone could be convicted on the basis they possess the gene.
Could lead to wrongful imprisonment or self-fulfilling prophecies.
strength - real-world application
the government look to research when developing social policies - prefer to base them on scientific research than politically-motivated views.
e.g policy for the NHS or education
limitation - incorrect findings can have long-lasting effects
Burt (1955) established the 11+ exam, but much of his data was revealed to be fake.
However, the 11+ is still used as a selection took in the UK, based on the false reasoning that genetic potential has revealed by the time a child reaches year 6
