ethical implications

• ethical implications: longterm consequences on a study and the participants involved

  • misinterpretation through media
  • influential for public policies
  • reflect on specific groups of people
• Burt (1955): conducted research that suggested intelligence was hereditary, using concordance rates of twins - leading to introduction of 11+ score for entry to grammar school

  WEAKNESS: results were made up and fraudulent
• socially sensitive: reseach can be considered controversial and affect specific people's beliefs
• Sieber and Stanley (1988): potential consequences or implication either directly for pp's represented
• Aronson (1999): psychologists should not shy away from the issues but have social responsibility to carry them out
• what to consider when conducing research:

  • weigh up costs and benefits
  • effect on group in sample
  • is the research going to result in discrimination
  • be reflexive of own bias
  • are the findings accurate
• issue within psychology:

  • historically, it holds implications that have long-term effects after research - Zimbardo only known for lack of ethics instead of research
  • role of media, research can be misunderstood and generalised
  • less likely to have research conducted and submitted
• example; bowlby's maternal deprivation

  • positive impact; importance of mother figure shaping child's future
  • negative impact; doubt partenting and compare own methods, self-guilt