Issues & Debates - Socially Sensitive Research Flashcards
What are the key features of ethical implications?
- Ethical issues arise due to conflict.
- Wider ethical implications of research are hard to predict.
When do ethical issues arise?
Ethical issues arise when there is a conflict between:
- psychology’s need for valid and valuable research
- preserving the rights and dignity of participants
Why are wider ethical implications of research hard to predict?
Researchers can control the methods they use and how they treat participants.
They have less influence on how findings are presented in the media, how their work impacts public policy and how it affects the perception of some groups in society.
What are the key features of socially sensitive research?
- Research with social consequences (e.g. criminality or race).
- Researchers should not avoid this type of research.
- Concerns for socially sensitive research include implications, public policy and validity.
- Burt’s research on IQ had consequences for UK schoolchildren.
What are the social consequences of research?
Socially sensitive research - there are potential social implications, either directly for the participants in research or the class of individuals represented by the research. For example:
- Research investigating genetic basis of criminality might have far-reaching consequences for those who take part or for the broader social groups the participants represent.
- Studies that tackle socially sensitive ‘taboo’ topics such as race or sexuality attract attention from the public.
Should researchers avoid socially sensitive research?
Some forms of research are socially sensitive but psychologists should not shy away from them. Because of the importance of such research, psychologists may have a social responsibility to carry it out (Aronson 1999).
What concerns are there for socially sensitive research?
Sieber and Stanley (1988) have identified concerns:
- Implications: some studies may give ‘scientific status’ to prejudice and discrimination (difficult to predict at outset).
- Uses/public policy: what would happen if it was used for the wrong purpose? Findings may be adopted by the government for political ends or to shape public policy.
- Validity of the research: some findings presented as objective in the past turned out to be fraudulent.
What consequences for UK schoolchildren did Burt’s research on IQ have?
Burt was a leading psychologist influential in establishing the 11+ examination in the UK. This was used to decide whether children could go to a grammar school based on their ‘natural’ intelligence (with a significant impact on life opportunities).
Burt’s view was that intelligence is genetic, based on his studies of twins showing a heritability coefficient of +.77 (Burt 1955).
But discrepancies in the data showed he made much of the data up and invented two research assistants. He was publically discredited but the 11+ (and the related public policy) remained for many years.
What are the strengths of ethical implications of research studies and theory?
- there are benefits of socially sensitive research
- understanding how to frame questions
- understanding potential damage from socially sensitive research
What are the weaknesses of ethical implications of research studies and theory?
- socially sensitive research may be used for social control
- costs and benefits may be difficult to predict
What benefits are there of socially sensitive research?
Scarr (1988) argues that studies of under-represented groups and issues may promote greater understanding to help reduce prejudice and encourage acceptance.
Socially sensitive research has benefitted society (e.g. research into the unreliability of eyewitness testimony has reduced the risk of miscarriages of justice within the legal system).
This suggests that socially sensitive research may play a valuable role in society.
How is understanding how to frame questions a strength of the ethical implications of research studies and theory?
Sieber and Stanley (1988) warn that how research questions are phrased and investigated may influence the ways findings are interpreted.
Kitzinger and Coyle (1955) note how research into so-called ‘alternative relationships’ has been guilty of heterosexual bias - homosexual relationships were judged against heterosexual norms.
This suggests that investigators must approach their research with an ‘open mind’ and be prepared to have their preconceptions challenged to avoid misrepresenting minority groups.
How is understanding the potential damage from socially sensitive research a strength of the ethical implications of research studies and theory?
Socially sensitive research has been used by governments and other institutions to shape social policy, despite the sometimes dubious nature of the findings (e.g. Burt’s research into IQ).
Packard (1957) claimed sales of Coca-Cola and popcorn increased when images of the products were flashed on cinema screens too quickly for audiences to be aware of them (subliminal). It was later revealed Packard had made his findings up.
Research that seeks to manipulate the public has obvious ethical implications. It also raises the question of who benefits from such research - which may be particularly difficult to manage once the research is out there.
How may socially sensitive research be used for social control?
In the 1920s and 30s, a large number of US states enacted legislation that led to the compulsory sterilisation of many of its citizens.
These people were judged to be ‘feeble-minded’ and a drain on society (e.g. those of low intelligence, drug/alcohol addicts, and the mentally ill). Some psychologists argued they were ‘unfit to breed’.
The fact that socially sensitive research has been used to support discriminatory practices in the past is an argument against its widespread adoption.
Why are the costs and benefits of socially sensitive research difficult to predict?
Research that carries ethical implications (or is socially sensitive) is scrutinised by an ethics committee - it is their job to weigh up the costs and benefits of the research.
However, some of the social consequences of research involving vulnerable groups may be difficult to anticipate.
Assessments of the ‘worth’ of such research are typically subjective, and the real impact of research can only ever be known once it has been made public.
