social sensitive research

Question 1

Socially sensitive research:

Answer 1

Any research that might have direct social consequences for the participants in the research or the group that they represent.

Question 2

ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS: SOCIAL SENSITIVITY:

Answer 2

Part of the process of scientific research is the responsibility that scientists have for the way their research is used.
Joan Sieber and Eve Stanley (1988) produced a landmark paper on the issues related to research that has social consequences.
They pointed out that the ethical guidelines produced by the American Psychological Association referred to the social implications of research but offered no advice about how such ethical issues might be resolved.
Their paper offered a way forward.

Question 3

The research process:
Sieber and Stanley identified four aspects in the research process at which ethical issues with social consequences may occur:

Answer 3

• The research question:
  Simply asking a research question (such as ‘are there racial differences in IQ?’ or ‘is homosexuality inherited?’) may be damaging to members of a particular racial group or sexual orientation because it appears to add scientific credibility to the prevailing prejudice.
• Conduct of research and treatment of participants:
  The main concern is the confidentiality of the information collected (e.g. if a participant confesses to a crime, should confidentiality be maintained?).
• The institutional context:
  Research may be funded and managed by private institutions who may misuse the data or may misunderstand the data that is produced (see ‘All Trials Campaign’ below left).
  The media may obtain reports of such research and misreport the findings.

Interpretation and application of findings:
Research findings may be used for purposes other than originally intended.
For example, the development of IQ tests by psychologists was subsequently used to demonstrate the inferiority of certain groups of people and was also used to identify the ‘feeble-minded’ who could then be sterilised (a practice in the US in the early twentieth century).

Question 4

Ethical issues in socially sensitive research:
Sieber and Stanley also identified 10 types of ethical issue that relate especially to socially sensitive research:

Answer 4

• Privacy
  During the research process, a skilled investigator may extract more information from participants than they intended to give.
  Some research (e.g. AIDS research) may lead to social policies that are an invasion of people’s private lives (e.g. through compulsory testing).
• Confidentiality:
  Participants may be less willing to divulge information in the future if confidentiality is breached and further related research would be compromised.
• Valid methodology:
  In cases of poor methodology (and therefore invalid findings), scientists may be aware of these problems, but the media and the public may not, and thus poor studies might shape important social policy to the detriment of those groups represented by the research.
• Deception:
  includes self-deception whereby research may lead people to form untrue stereotypes (e.g. believing that women are less good at maths), which then affects one’s own performance.
• Informed consent:
  Potential participants may not always comprehend what is involved.
• Equitable treatment:
  All participants should be treated in an equitable manner, and resources which are vital to the participants’ well-being (e.g. educational opportunities) are not withheld from one group whilst being available to another.
• Scientific freedom:
  The scientist has a duty to engage in research but at the same time has an obligation not to harm participants as well as institutions in society.
• Ownership of data:
  Some of the problems with determining ownership involve the sponsorship of the research (e.g. a university department of commercial organisation) and the public accessibility of the data.
• Values:
  Psychologists differ in their orientation towards subjective (idiographic) approaches and more objective (scientific) approaches.
  Sensitive issues arise when there is a clash in such values between the scientist and recipient of the research.
• Risk/benefit ratio:
  Risks or costs should be minimised, but problems arise in determining risks as well as benefits.

Question 5

EVALUATION/DISCUSSION

Answer 5

The wider impact of research:
May disadvantage marginalised groups:
Just avoid socially sensitive research

Question 6

The wider impact of research:

Answer 6

There are always some social consequences to participation in research, but with socially sensitive research the impact can be even greater.
For example, there is increased potential for a more indirect impact on the participant’s family, their co-workers, or maybe even the group that the participant represents (e.g. addicts, women, the elderly and so on).
Researchers, therefore, need to think beyond simply safeguarding the interests of the individual in research.
Researchers must take account of the likely impact of the research on the larger group of which the participant is a member.

Question 7

May disadvantage marginalised groups:

Answer 7

Many groups in society have suffered the consequences of being excluded from research or being misrepresented when they are included.
It might be argued that our understanding of human behaviour has been lessened by our misinterpretations of, or our failure to include, representative samples of disabled people, the elderly, the disadvantaged and members of minority cultures.
These shortcomings also mean that these groups then miss out on any of the potential benefits of research.
This failure to fully include such groups in psychological research means our understanding of human behaviour has been unnecessarily restricted.

Question 8

Just avoid socially sensitive research

Answer 8

One solution to the problem of handling socially sensitive research (e.g. into homosexuality, race, gender or addiction) is to avoid it altogether.
The argument in favour of doing this is that the findings may have negative consequences for the participants, for the section of society they represent or for the whole of society.
However, this would probably leave psychologists with nothing to examine but unimportant issues.
Sieber and Stanley argue that ignoring sensitive research is not a responsible approach to science and avoiding controversial topics simply because they are controversial is also an avoidance of responsibility.
Therefore psychologists have a duty to conduct such research.