Ethical Implications

• What are the 6 Ethical issues within Ethical Implications?

  • Consent
  • Right to withdraw
  • Protection from harm
  • Confidentiality
  • Deception
  • Privacy
• What is Consent within the Ethical Issues?

  The participant must give permission to take part knowing the true aims of the study and must know what they are expected to do. This is not always convenient and there are ways around this. Researchers sometimes get permission which is not informed - the participants does not know the true aim of the research.
• What is the Right to withdraw within the Ethical Issues?


  Participants must have the option to leave the study and withdraw all of their data at any time. Research has sometimes pushed them to continue in their research, despite this right.
• What is Protection from harm within the Ethical Issues?


  Participants must not experience any more harm than they would in every day life. (e.g. severe embarrassment would be considered psychological harm as would any physical distress).
• What is Confidentiality with the Ethical Issues?


  All information collected must be published in a way that does not identify the participant. From the researchers point of view this is difficult, but they can promise anonymity. From the participants point it's a legal requirement.
• What is Deception within the Ethical Issues?


  This is when participants have been told a false purpose for the research. This is sometimes needed to prevent participants acting in an unnatural way.
• What is Privacy within the Ethical Issues?


  Some research makes it hard to not invade participants privacy (e.g. observing someone in a shop is in a public space and is therefore acceptable. It would be unacceptable to observe in their private name)
• What is the A01 for Ethical Implications?

  • The BPS (British Psychological Society) how closely monitors research to control any ethical issues.
  • This has led to improvements in the treatment of participants during research.
  • However, researchers have little control over how their findings are represented (or misrepresented) in the media, impact on the public policy and how it may influence perception of particular groups in society.
  • These issues are known as the ethical implications of research theories.
• What are the potential consequences of conducting socially sensitive research?


  • Implications
  • Uses of public policy
  • The validity of the research
• What does it mean by 'Implication' as a consequence of conducting socially sensitive research?

  Some socially sensitive research may get scientific credibility. Is it possible that the research may give more evidence for prejudice or discrimination? This may be difficult to predict and researchers may not be aware of the implications until the end (e.g. IQ tests)
• What does it mean by 'Uses of public policy' as a consequence of conducting socially sensitive research?

  What will the research be used for? Will it be used by the government for political reasons or to adapt public policy? What is the research is misused?
• What does it mean by 'Validity of the research' as a consequence of conducting socially sensitive research?

  In the past lots of socially sensitive research turned out to be fraudulent (e.g. Burt's work). This is even more worrying that fraudulent research could have such an impact on society. However, research is much more carefully reviewed now by peer review and is now unlikely to be fraudulent.
• What are the 4 Unethical elements of the research process?

  • The research question
  • The treatment of participants
  • The institutional context
  • Interpretation of findings
• What is 'The research question' in the Unethical elements of a research process?

  The researcher must consider their research question carefully. Asking questions like "Are there racial differences in IQ?" or "Is intelligence inherited?" may be damaging to members of a particular group.
• What is 'The treatments of participants' in the Unethical elements of a research process?

  Information collected during research should be kept confidential during and after the research process. (e.g. if someone admits to a committing a crime, or to having unprotected sex if they are HIV positive, should the researcher remain confidential?)
• What is 'The institutional context' in the Unethical elements of a research process?

  The researcher should be mindful of how the data is going to be used and consider who is finding the research.
• What is the 'Interpretation of findings' in the Unethical elements of a research process?

  The researcher needs to consider how their findings might be interpreted and applied in the real-world. Could the findings be used by the Government for political means to develop public policy? if this happens, are there any risks? (i.e. will it lead to discrimination or prejudice?)
• What is a strength of Ethical implications?

  Benefits of socially sensitive research

  • Scarr (1988) argues that studies of under-represented groups and issues may promote greater understanding to help prejudice and encourage acceptance.
  • SSR can benefit society as a whole - for example, research into reliability of EWT 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.
• What's a counter argument for Ethical implications?

  Costs and benefits might be difficult to predict

  • Although potential research is scrutinised by an ethics committee, some of the consequences of research involving groups might be difficult to anticipate.
  • Assessments of the 'worth' of such research are typically subjective and the real impact of the research can only ever be known once it has been made public.
• What is a limitation of Ethical implications?

  Data may be used for social control

  • The fact that socially sensitive research has been used to 'prop up' discriminatory practices in the past is an argument
  • The fact that socially sensitive research has been used to 'prop up' discriminatory practices in the past is an argument against its widespread adoption.