Socially Sensitive Research

• Socially sensitive research


  Any research that might have direct social consequences for the participants in the research or the group that they represent.
• Example of the implications of socially sensitive research

  . if a study that found differences in skills between genders, this could bias company hiring practices. Or if a participant in a study found out they have genes associated with OCD, this may lead to their children to wonder if they too have inherited the OCD genes
• Sieber and Stanley (1988) ethical concerns


  Implications- what harmful effects could the study have on society?

  
  

  Public policy- Could the study be used by government to support or inform policies

  
  

  Validity- Are the study's results accurate?
• Example of ethical implications of socially sensitive research

  Milgram's experiments- research into the effects of authority on obedience:

  
  

  Milgram's experiments deceived participants and caused distress. Although this may be seen as unethical, some argue that the value of the knowledge gained from these experiments outweighs the harm done.
• AO3

  Researchers must weigh up ethical concerns against the potential benefits. Socially sensitive research findings may have positive and negative effects e.g. the 1909 Asexualisation act in California allowed for the sterilisation of people on the basis of psychological traits such as low intelligence or mental illness. On the other hand, Scarr (1988) argues that research into differences between groups can lead to greater understanding, which is likely to reduce discrimination