Ethical Implications

• Ethical Implications


  Ethical guidelines established to help protect participants, but is more difficult to control after research has been conducted as the researcher cannot control how findings are:

  • represented in media
  • impact public policy
  • influence perception of particular groups in society
• Socially Sensitive Research


  Studies in which there are potential consequences or implications for individuals in or represented by the research. Research involving 'taboo' topics that attract attention from the media and public, but psychologists shouldn't 'shy away' from this research.
• Ethical Issues in SSR

  Sieber and Stanley identified several concerns to be mindful of:

  • Implications - some studies give scientific credence to prejudice
  • Uses/public policy - findings may be adopted to shape public policy by the government
  • Validity of research - some findings of studies have later been identified as fraudulent
• Ethical Implications : Consequences

  • Studies on Depression

  1. may have consequences for individual participants e.g. employers finding research
  2. findings may suggest people with depression are a risk as an employee
  3. social policy = findings could inform treatment options
  4. 'taboo' subjects are open to bias and discriminatory findings

  • Memory experiments

  1. unlikely to have individual consequences
  2. unlikely to have social group implications as they are unlikely to be representative
  3. unlikely to impact social policy
  4. likely to be conducted with empirical (Scientific) methods, less taboo
• Eval : Strength


  Scarr argues that studies of underrepresented groups and issues may promote greater sensitivity and understanding of these, which can help reduce prejudice and encourage acceptance. Suggests socially sensitive research may play a valuable role in society.
• Eval : Weakness


  In America a large number of states enacting a legislation that led to the sterilisation of 'feeble-minded' citizens, supported by many sections of the scientific and psychological community that feeble-minded people were 'unift’ to breed. Suggests socially sensitive research has been used to 'prop up' discriminatory practices in the past.
• Eval : Weakness


  Sieber and Stanley warn that the way questions are phrased and investigated may influence the way in which findings are interpreted, e.g. ethnocentrism can cause bias in cross-cultural research like in attachment. Suggests investigators must approach their research with an 'open mind' and have their preconceptions challenged to avoid misrepresenting minority groups.