ethical implications

• Ethical issues arise when there is a conflict between gaining valuable research and preserving the rights and dignity of pps
• ethical guidelines were established to help protect those involved in research.
• Ethical implications - the impact that research has on society, how it influences public policy and/or the way in which certain groups of people are seen.
• Socially sensitive research - any research that may be controversial
• socially sensitive research may be seen as giving ‘scientific’ credibility to prejudice and discrimination, and can be used to justify public policy
• Burt’s influence on establishing the 11+ exam in the UK, which was used to determine if children would study in a grammar school or a secondary modern school, which arguably made a significant impact on their life chances
• Burt’s views came from evidence citing intelligence was genetic but it was revealed he largely made it up and he was publicly discredited. However, both the 11+ and the idea that children be separated based on natural intelligence remained for years after, which shows the impact of social research even if it is disproved.