socially sensitive research

• AO1 introduction - what is socially sensitive research

  • studies in which there may be potential consequences either directly to individuals or a class of individuals represented by the research
  • sensitivity as this may lead to people being treated differently based on how findings of research are interpreted/reported
  • although problematic, helps people in society understand areas of sensitivity e.g: what its like to experience abuse
• AO1 - social psychology SSR


  • findings of research into obedience & prejudice may present issues which may offend or divide people
  • e.g: findings may create group-specific problems and evoke strong feelings
  • SS considered when researching controversial topics eg: obedience as findings can be used to manipulate or behaviours of control others
• social - sensitive

  • milgram - presence of authority leads to blind obedience - lead to harmful acts on society
  • tajfel - we have no control over war or conflict
  • cohrs - personality traits indicators of prejudice lead to screening population
• social - not sensitive

  • sherif - use of superordinate goals to reduce prejudice
• cognitive ao1

  • unlikely to illicit SS findings - looking at how memory is processed such as encoding, duration, capacity
  • memory loss is sensitive area for amnesic individuals and their foamily - amnesia is life altering cognitive impairement causing distress - intelligence intact but confused due to loss of memory
• cognitive is not sensitive

  • baddely - word lists
  • glantzer and cunitz
  • peterson and peterson
• cog is sensitive

  • schmolck - implications that memory loss is permanent , treated differently
  • HM
• learning ao1

  • use of theories understanding aggression is sensitive
  • research shown that children observing adults behaviour will imitate - pressure on parents to model good behaviour
  • implications for media - SS as need to limit types of aggression children can view on TV
• learning is sensitive

  • bandura (1965)
• learning isnt

  • CC - pavlov - effects of CC on salivation of dog=gs reinforced pairing a stimuli to response not sensitive
• bio ao1

  • raine looked at brain scans of murderers and they brain abnormalities which lead to aggressive behaviour
  • lead to a screening of population of those who could become criminals = SS
  • evolutionary theory says males will be more aggressive than females - SS - differences in how M/F treated
• bio is sensitive

  • raine -behaviour beyond control of individual
  • dabbs - higher TT in violent offender males - diff in sitautions whre they have been aggressvive - male more guilty than females so recieve harsher sentence in court
• bio is not sensitive

  • research used to get treatments for sex offenders eg: MPA reduced reoffednign rates