ethical implication

• Ethical implications of research

  The impact of research on participants and when the research is published
• Researchers face a dilemma when conducting research

  How much to tell participants (to satisfy informed consent) vs how much to conceal to ensure valid findings
• Once research has been published, there is very little that can be done by researchers in terms of how the media will interpret and present the findings
• Milgram's (1963) study


  Had huge ethical implications in the way it treated its participants, but was it worth it considering what it revealed about the nature of obedience?
• Buss (1995) published research


  Claimed that men look for youth in a woman and women look for wealth in a man, such findings could be used by the media to validate sexist stereotypes
• Socially sensitive research


  Deals with topics that, if handled badly by the researcher, could have negative consequences for the groups involved due to the ways in which the findings could be interpreted or even manipulated by external sources such as the media
• Examples of socially sensitive research topics

  • Criminality
  • Addiction
  • Sexual preference
  • Gender
  • Race
• Reflexivity


  Important when conducting socially sensitive research
• Benefits of socially sensitive research

  • Minority or underrepresented social groups can be given the 'spotlight', allowing perspectives, attitudes and experiences that are not those of the dominant group to take centre-stage and be heard
  • Can help to highlight inadequacies in the care of vulnerable people
• Drawbacks of socially sensitive research

  • Some studies have been conducted in ways which are far from ethical and have led to the perpetuation of bias and discrimination
  • Researchers must take care not to exploit their participants, particularly if those participants are vulnerable
• 'Shock' headlines only serve to fuel public anger and outrage: studies of mental illness must take care to avoid being accused of perpetuating such negative representations of those who struggle with their mental health
• It is important to be very clear in exam responses as to what is meant by 'ethical implications'. Recounting a list of ethical guidelines is not enough, you need to give examples that explicitly link ethics to implications.