ethical implications

Cards (14)

  • ethical implications
    - the impact that psychological research may have in terms of the rights of other people especially participants.
    - this includes, at a societal level, influencing public policy and or the way in which certain groups of people are regarded
  • researchers cannot control
    • how their findings are represented in the media
    • any impact on public policy
    • how their findings influence our perception of particular groups
  • socially sensitive research
    - some areas of research are more controversial than others
    - research looking at the cognitive processes of LTM is unlikely to have any negative consequences for broader social groups
    - research involving race, ethnicity, and sexuality can be classed as socially sensitive
    - research looking at these topics often attracts attention from other psychologists, the media, and the public
  • Sieber and Stanley (1988)
    - they define socially sensitive research as 'studies in which there are potential consequences or implications, either directly for the participants in the research or for the class of individuals represented by the research'
    - produced a paper about issues that could arise from socially sensitive research
    - they identified several concerns that researchers should be mindful of when conducting socially sensitive research
  • examples of socially sensitive research
    Henry Goddard (1917) issued IQ tests to immigrants as they arrived in the US. He claimed that his findings demonstrated how the majority of Russians, Jews, Hungarians and Italians were 'feeble-minded', though he failed to point out that many of the tests he set required an understanding of English.
    Yerkes (1917) used an IQ test that contained questions that required cultural knowledge of the US. This meant that lower scores were the result of a lack of culturalization, not a lack of intelligence.
  • uses and public policy
    EG bowlby's research into attachment and maternal deprivation
    - he became an adviser for the world health organisation
    - affected how at least a generation of children were raised
    - mothers could be seen as acting against the best interests of their children if they had a job (instead of staying home with the children)
    - potentially influences UK government's decision not to offer free childcare to children under 5
    - possibly also indirectly affected the legal norm of mothers getting custody of children in divorce (previously it was fathers)
  • validity of research
    - in the past, findings that have been presented as objective, but have actually turned out to be highly suspect, and even fraudulent.
    - today, many modern psychologists who may tackle socially sensitive areas of research are much more upfront about their own biases and preconceptions, and include comment on the nature of their work in their publications (reflexivity)
  • validity of research example
    • Cyril Burt
    - established the 11+ exam
    - evidence was used which he produced showing intelligence was genetics
    - it was later revealed that Burt had made much of it up, as well as inventing two research assistants, and he was publicly discredited
    - the 11+ however, and the idea that children should be separated on the basis of their 'natural' intelligence, remained for a good few years afterwards and still does.
  • another issue is that the results of socially sensitive research can be misinterpreted. For example, if a study finds that women tend to score higher on measures of empathy than men, then this does not mean that men are less empathetic than women; rather, it means that women tend to score higher on empathy scales than men. It would be wrong to assume that all men are less empathetic than all women because the data only show that there is a difference between the sexes on average.
  • these types of studies can also lead to stigmatisation of those involved. For example, if a study shows that members of a minority group perform worse on a task compared to the majority population, then this finding will be reported widely. The implication is that all members of the minority group are deficient in some way. However, this ignores the fact that the sample size was small and therefore the results do not apply to everyone within the minority group.
  • discussion point
    there are benefits to carrying out socially sensitive research. studies of under-represented groups and issues may promote greater understanding to help reduce prejudice and encourage acceptance. but there are more direct benefits than this. For example, research into the unreliability of eyewitness testimony has reduced the risk of miscarriages of justice within the legal system. This suggests that socially sensitive research may play a valuable role in society
  • discussion point
    socially sensitive research can be used for social control. in the 1920s/30s, a large number of US states enacted legislation that led to the compulsory sterilisation of many of its citizens. These people were judged to be feeble-minded and a drain on society. Some psychologists argued they were 'unfit to breed'. This is a real life application of how socially sensitive research can lead to wide-scale discriminatory practices. Therefore, socially sensitive research can also have seriously negative effects on society
  • discussion point
    when completing socially sensitive research, its important to understand how to frame research questions. Kitzinger and Coyle (1995) note how research into 'alternative relationships' has been guilty of heterosexual bias. Homosexual relationships were judged against heterosexual norms. this suggests that investigators must approach their research with an open mind and be prepared to have their preconceptions changed. this will lead to researchers being less likely to misrepresent minority groups
  • discussion point
    costs and benefits may be difficult to predict. research that carries ethical implications is scrutinised by an ethics committee. it is their job to weigh up the costs and benefits of the research and at all the potential implications of that research. some of these implications may be difficult to anticipate particularly involving vulnerable groups. sometimes the real impact of research can only ever be known once it has been made public. therefore, even though research is scrutinised by an ethics committee, it may still have problematic implications for society.