ethical implications

examples of ethical implications

• deception

• privacy

• informed consent

• confidentiality

explain deception as an ethical implication

• research may lead people to form false stereotypes that then become a self fulfilling prophecy

explain privacy as an ethical implication

• some research may lead to social policies that are an invasion of people’s privacy

explain informed consent as an ethical implication

is important in any research but especially when it is socially sensitive

explain confidentiality as an ethical implication

• breaches of this could have far reaching social and economic consequences

explain socially sensitive research

• Research with potential social consequences

• Affects participants or groups

how to deal with SSR

• consider implications

• provide full debriefing

• submit research proposals

• take care not to misinterpret groups

• consider possible reactions of pps

• weigh up cost and benefits of research

• be alert to possible misuse of findings

what are the evaluation points

benefits of socially sensitive research

minority groups could be misrepresented

can be abused

risk to justify scientific racism or social control

evaluation - benefits of socially sensitive research

P: Despite the ethical implications of controversial and ‘taboo’ topics, there are benefits that come from socially sensitive research

E: Scarr argues thatt studies of underrepresented groups and issues may promote a greater sensitivity and understanding to these, which can reduce prejudice

E: such research has also benefited society. e.g. research into (un)reliability of eyewitness testimony has reduced the risk of miscarriages of justice within the legal system

L: this suggests that socially sensitive research may play a valuable role in society

eval - minority groups could be misrepresented

P: minority groups may be misrepresented due to the framing of the question

E: Sieber and stanley point out that how research questions are phrased may influence the ways in which finds are interpreted

E: also Kitzinger and Coyle note how research into so-called ‘alternative relationships’ has been guilt of a form of ‘heterosexual bias’ within which homosexual relationships were compared and judged against heterosexual norms

L: thus investigators must approach their research with an ‘open mind’ and be prepared to have their preconceptions challenged

evaluation- can be abused

P: socially sensitive research is easy to misinterpret and can be abused

E: this can be particularly harmful, e.g. the repercussions of Burt’s findings that intelligence is genetic leading to establishment of 11+

E: it can also come from less harmful areas, such as findings from Pachard who claimed he found use of subliminal messaging increasing the sales of coca cola

L: both were found fraudulent. regardless of the severity of the consequences this level of public manipulation is unacceptable and places psychology under intense scrutiny

evaluation - risk to justify scientific racism or social control

P: there is a risk that socially sensitive research could be used to justify ‘scientific racism’ or social control

E: Goddard issues IQ tests to immigrants upon their arrival to the US and concluded that Russians, Jews, Hungarians and Italians were ‘feeble minded’

E: this was then used by American government to justify its policy of sterilisation of certain ‘feeble minded’ groups

L: this is the use of scientific findings to support racist attributes and political or ideological positions of racial supremacy