Ethical implications of research / social sensitivity

• Ethical implications of research studies and theory refers to..

  the implications that psychological research has on participants and the wider population that the research applies to.
• ethical implications limited in protecting participants

  it is more difficult to control the wider social impact of psychological research once it has been conducted and reported. This is because researchers have relatively little say in terms of how their findings may be used to later influence the public’s perception of particular groups in society.
• things researchers could do....

  • Affect the participants in the long-term/affect how society perceives the participants.

  • Lead to bias against certain genders/sexualities/cultures/socioeconomic backgrounds.

  • Change laws that negatively affect groups in society.
• Why is is research considered socially sensitive

  Research is therefore considered socially sensitive when it has potential social consequences for the participants or the wider population represented in the research. Such consequences could include a change in, or justification for, the way these groups are treated/perceived in society.
• Bandura's bobo doll research

  found that children exposed to aggressive role models were more likely to behave aggressively than children exposed to non-aggressive role models.
• Why would bandura's bobo doll research might be considered socially sensitive


  This could be socially sensitive research as it could result in blaming parents if their children exhibit aggressive behaviour.
• Lombroso's activistic form theory

  claimed that criminals are genetic throwbacks who have specific physical features that show they are under evolved. Examples of atavistic features

  include dark skin and curly hair.
• Why might lombroso's atavistic form theory be considered socially sensitive

  This could be socially sensitive because it claimed that many features typical of people of African descent are associated with crime e.g. dark skin and curly hair. This is therefore socially sensitive research as it suggests that people of African descent are more likely to engage in criminal behaviour. This could lead to bias towards them in the policing system and, in turn, wrongful convictions.
• Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory

  proposes that a child being deprived of their mother in the first 2.5 years of life could result in long-term negative and potentially irreversible consequences.
• why might Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory be considered socially sensitive

  This could be socially sensitive because it could have resulted in negative

  implications on mothers in terms of pressuring them to stay at home to look after their children as opposed to return to work. It may have also influenced the UK govt. decision not to offer free childcare places to children under five which puts many low socio-economic families at risk. It could have had an indirect effect on the legal norm that mothers are granted custody of children in divorce cases, negatively impacting fathers.
• Statistical infrequency definition of abnormality

  proposes that an individual is considered abnormal if their behaviour is numerically rate.
• how might statistical frequency be seem as socially sensitive

  This could be socially sensitive because it could result in minority groups who display less common behaviour being stigmatised as ‘abnormal’.
• What do ethical implications of research studies refer to?

  Implications on participants and wider population
• Why do researchers have little control over their findings?

  Findings may influence public perception
• How might psychological research affect societal perceptions?

  By influencing views on specific groups
• What biases can psychological research lead to?

  Bias against genders, sexualities, cultures
• How can psychological research impact laws?

  By resulting in changes that affect groups
• What makes research socially sensitive?

  • Potential social consequences for participants
  • Impact on the wider population represented
• An example of socially sensitive research comes from Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory

  Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory which proposed that the continuous presence of a mother is critical for a child’s healthy development. This can be considered socially sensitive as it pressured mothers to stay at home rather than return to work and may have also influenced UK government’s decision not to offer free childcare places to children under five, which puts many low socio-economic families at risk.
• An example of socially sensitive research comes from Atavistic form theory of offending behaviour

  the atavistic form theory of offending behaviour which proposed that criminals are genetic throwbacks that can be identified based on characteristics such as dark skin and curly hair. This can be considered socially sensitive as dark skin and curly hair are features typical of people of African descent and so it suggests they are more likely to engage in criminal behaviour, potentially leading to bias in the policing system and wrongful convictions.
• What is a strength of research into the ethical implications of research studies?

  It has led to practical benefits.
• What aspect of Bowlby’s theory was questioned by research into social sensitivity?

  The role of other important attachment figures.
• How does the role of the father relate to Bowlby’s theory?

  It helps prevent negative effects like delinquency.
• What legislative change has resulted from research into attachment figures?

  Paternity leave for working fathers.
• What improvements have been made in childcare practices due to this research?

  Ensuring high quality care for infants.
• What negative effect can the absence of a father figure lead to?

  Delinquency in children.
• Why is the research into Bowlby’s theory considered a strength?

  It has led to beneficial changes in society.
• How has research into attachment figures influenced legislation?

  By advocating for paternity leave policies.
• What is the significance of high-quality care for infants when mothers return to work?

  It supports healthy child development.
• A limitation of research into the ethical implications is that a set of guidelines are yet to be established.

  E.g. while ethical guidelines have been established by ethics committees to help protect participants during the research, no official guidelines have been established to reduce socially sensitive research being used inappropriately in the wider society. Its limitation of research into the ethical implications because such failure to establish official guidelines leaves many groups in society vulnerable, particularly minority groups who are often negatively affected by research.
• Why is it more difficult to control?

  However, it has been argued that it is much more difficult to control or even predict how psychological research will be used in the wider society. This is because researchers cannot control, for example, how the media may(mis)represent their findings. This therefore adds to the debate surrounding research into the ethical implications of research studies and theories.
• A strength of research into ethical implications of research is that it has resulted in..

  some guidance on ways to avoid socially sensitive research. For example, before the research is conducted, researchers have been recommended to carefully consider their research questions to ensure they are not damaging to members of a particular group. They should also be mindful of who is funding the research.
• Why should researchers be mindful of who is funding the research?

  For example, if the research is being funded by a private institution or organisation, it is important to consider why they might be funding the research and how they intend on using the findings - they could be using findings to fuel their own agenda which may negatively impact groups within society.
• What should researchers take care of during the research?


  during the research, researchers should take care to sensitively brief and debrief participants/individuals involved in the research.
• What should researchers do when reporting their research

  researchers should maintain individual’s confidentially to prevent them from receiving any bias or discrimination as well as a take care in their reporting to ensure that research findings are not easily misinterpreted and used to fuel an agenda against a group within society. This is a strength of research into the ethical implications of research studies and theories because such recommendations have reduced the likelihood of socially sensitive research.