Ethical implications and social sensitivity

What is ethical implications

• considers impact that psychological research has on rights of other people in a wider context, not just participants taking part in research

Ethical implications in research- Milgram

• participants were deceived, didn’t provide informed consent, were distressed.

• But were debriefed and took part in follow up interview- had no long term effects

• So could say importance of findings justified how the research was conducted as it was useful to determine factors affecting obedience to authority

Ethical implications in theories- Bowlbys theory of attachment

• Suggested children form 1 special attachment bond which takes place within critical period.

• Suggested this bond affects their future relationships through an internal working model

• It’s contributed to development of childcare practices but encourages view that women’s place is at home with child- make mum feel guilt for wanting to go to work

What is social sensitivity

• studies where there’s potential social consequences for participants represented by the research

Milgrams study as social sensitive

• results could be used to ensure people obey orders including those they don’t wish to follow

Bowlbys theory as social sensitive

• could be used to persuade mothers to stay at home and look after their children

Seiber and Stanley’s 4 steps to do before conducting research

Research question- just consider their question carefully to see if it’s damaging to members of a group

Methodology used- consider treatment of participants and their right to confidentiality and anonymity

Institutional context- be mindful how data will be used and consider who’s funding the research, how will they use the findings

Interpretation and application of findings- consider how findings may be interpreted and applied in the real world.

Strength- benefits groups who’ve been studied

• in 1st edition of DSM, homosexuality listed under sociopathic personality disorder but removed later

• this was credited by the Kinsey report- based on anonymous interviews of over 10,000ppl about their sexual behaviour, concluded homosexuality is normal human behaviour

• the research illustrates the importance of researchers tackling sensitive topics

Counterpoint of the strength- negative consequences of some studies

• research has found a criminal gene, could encourage arguments of whether criminals should be imprisoned due to their biology determining their behaviour and if they can ever be rehabilitated if they have the gene

• can lead to discrimination and could lead to movements like eugenics

• shows importance of considering wider impacts of research when researching sensitive topics

Evaluation- should socially sensitive research be done or not

• way of dealing with it is not doing it- 2001 American Psychological association 95% non sensitive research proposals approved but only 50% sensitive approved- many governing bodies deciding to stop research projects with sensitive projects

• But others say it should be done as they have social responsibility to investigate important topics regardless of its sensitivity

• Psychologists should find ethical ways of investigating like reflexive approach- being more upfront about biases & selecting how these affect research process