ethical implications of research

• What are ethical implications?

  Ethical implications consider the impact or consequences that psychological research has on the rights of other people in a wider context
• Identify considerations for ethical implications.

  Effects of research on participants

  Effects of publication on wider public

  Potential use of the findings, e.g. allocation of resources

  Potential use of the findings, e.g. political consequences

  Potential bias against certain groups

  Potential influence on moral attitudes towards social and ethnic groups

  Economic implications, e.g. for further psychological research
• What are three ways of discussing ethical implications?

  Cost-benefit analysis

  Short-term cost versus long-term gain

  How to deal with ethical implications
• What is a cost-benefit analysis?

  Psychologists must consider the scientific benefits to society and weigh them up against the risks
• When should research with ethical implications be conducted?

  If the cost is low but there are scientific benefits, the research may still be ethical to conduct despite it's implications
• Provide an example of a cost-benefit analysis in psychology.

  Milgram's participants may have suffered enduring harm due to their actions, with potential long term consequences of this. However, the research had a powerful benefit in terms of teaching us the power of authority figures and that German obedience wasn't unique and therefore it could be argued that the benefits outweighed the costs.
• What might be short-term costs?

  There may be a short term cost of the effects of the research on the participants
• What might be long-term gain?


  A long-term gain of benefits to society.
• When should research be carried out?

  It could be argued that long-term gains are more important than short-term costs and that this research should be conducted
• Provide an example of short-term cost in psychological research.

  Bandura' participants may have been viewed negatively as a result of their aggressive behaviour or they may have been aggressive for a short time after the study.
• Provide an example of long-term gain in psychological research.

  The long-term benefit of the recognition that exposure to violent images in media could encourage impressionable young people to imitate them. Nowadays there are age restrictions on aspects of the media that are deemed to have unsuitable content.
• Reflexivity can be used in research where there are potential ethical implications. What is reflexivity?

  The act of a researcher constantly reflecting on the extent to which they themselves are impacting on their research and their findings
• Provide an example of reflexivity in psychology.

  Milgram could have reflected on how being Jewish was influencing his motivation to conduct his research and how he might interpret the findings. Being honest about this helps to minimise the impact ethical implications.
• Who created the term social sensitivity?

  Sieber and Stanley (1988)
• What is social sensitivity?

  Sieber and Stanley (1988) used the term to describe studies where there are potential social consequences for the participants or the group of people represented by the research. Potentially leading to a change in, or justification for, the way these groups are treated/perceived.
• Sieber & Stanley advise that researchers should not avoid researching socially sensitive issues. Scientists have a responsibility to society to find useful knowledge. Instead, we should deal with socially sensitively research carefully in what ways?

  Take account of ethical issues in the design of any studies.

  Weigh up the possible costs and benefits before conducting any research.

  Take care when formulating the aim

  They should be careful how they communicate with the media and policymakers.

  Consider the wider effects of publication of the findings.