PAPER 3 - ISSUES AND DEBATES - socially sensitive research

Question 1

What is “the research process”?

Answer 1

Simply asking research maybe damaging to members of a particular group/ sexual orientation because it appears to add scientific credibility to prevailing prejudice

Question 2

What is “treatment of participants”?

Answer 2

Main concern is confidentiality of info collected e.g. If participant confesses to a crime should it be reported?

Question 3

What is “institutional context”?

Answer 3

Research may be funded and managed by a private institution who may misuse the data or misunderstand data produced
- media may obtain and misreport findings

Question 4

What is “interpretation and application of findings”?

Answer 4

Findings may be used for other purposes other than originally intended e.g. Development of IQ tests was subsequently used to demonstrate inferiority of certain groups/people

Question 5

What are the 10 ethical issues in socially sensitive research identified by Sieber and Stanley?

Answer 5

Privacy
Confidentiality
Valid methodology
Deception
Informed consent
Equitable treatment
Ownership of data
Values
Scientific freedom
Risk-benefit ratio

Question 6

How is privacy an ethical issue?

Answer 6

• Skilled investigator may extract more info from participants than they intended to give
• some research (e.g. AIDS research) may lead to social policies that are an invasion of peoples private lives

Question 7

How is confidentiality an ethical issue?

Answer 7

Participants may be less willing to divulge information in future if confidentiality is breached and further related research would be compromised

Question 8

How is valid methodology an ethical issue?

Answer 8

Scientists are aware of poor methodology but media and public may not, so poor studies right shape important social policies to detriment of groups represented by research

Question 9

How is deception an ethical issue?

Answer 9

Includes self-deception where research may lead people to form untrue stereotypes (e.g. Women are worse at matus) which affects ones own performance

Question 10

How is informed consent an ethical issue?

Answer 10

Potential participants may not always comprehend what is involved

Question 11

How is equitable treatment an ethical issue?

Answer 11

All participants should be treated equally and resources vital to p’s wellbeing (e.g. Educational opportunities) are not withheld from one group and not the other

Question 12

How is ownership of data an ethical issue?

Answer 12

Problems involve sponsorship of researchand public accessibility of the data (e.g. Commercial organisations

Question 13

How are values on ethical issue?

Answer 13

• Psychologists differ in orientation towards subjective approaches and more objective (scientific) approaches
• sensitive issues anise when there’s a clash in values between scientist & recipient

Question 14

How is scientific freedom an ethical issue?

Answer 14

The scientist must engage in research but has no obligation to harm participants and institutions in society

Question 15

How is risk-benefit ratio an ethical issue?

Answer 15

Risks or costs should be minimised but problems arise when determining risks as well as benefits

Question 16

What are examples of research where there could implications for the individual beyond the research?

Answer 16

• Zimbardo
• Milgram
• Watson & Raynor - little Albert

Question 17

What are examples of research where there could implications for the group represented?

Answer 17

• IQ and race
• IQ and gender
• age and EWT
• Gender

Question 18

Should we carry out socially sensitive research?

Answer 18

• Raises difficult ethical issues
• psychologists avoid carrying out research so areas may not be investigated
• If they do carry out research, they may risk criticism from their peers and others
• Aronson (1999) argues that to ignore mere areas of research would be a rejection of “social responsibilities of the phonological researcher”

Question 19

What is socially sensitive research?

Answer 19

Studies which are potential social consequences or implications, either directly for p’s in research, or class of individuals represented by the research (Sieber & Stanley)

Question 20

Which topic areas are vulnerable to being socially sensitive?

Answer 20

Gender
Race
Sexuality
Social diversity
Cultural diversity

Question 21

What do the current guidelines offer?

Answer 21

Protection of participants during the study, not after