Ethical Implications

Question 1

Name 3 of the 10 BPS ethical guidelines.

Answer 1

Informed consent.

Deception.

Confidentiality.

Withdrawal rights.

Privacy.

Protection of participants, (physical and psychological harm).

Debriefing.

Colleagues research.

Psychological Consequences.

Giving advice.

Question 2

What can happen after a researcher publishes findings?

Answer 2

People can manipulate their research

What people other psychologists/ people do with the findings.

Question 3

If someone manipulates a researchers findings, what does this suggest?

Answer 3

A lack of researcher control.

Question 4

Data being in the public domain could become what? Give an example of when this has happened?

Answer 4

A catalyst for meta-analysis

E.g. Ainsworth: highlighting the importance of cultural bias.

Question 5

What can a researcher do to avoid data manipulation after it has been published?

Answer 5

Be clear about conclusions and findings, to limit public generalisation and extrapolation.

Question 6

What are ethical guidelines?

Answer 6

A framework that we use to protect PPs and ensure that we are following protocols in place by BPS.

Question 7

When does an ethical guideline become an ethical issue?

Answer 7

When it’s not adhered to.

Question 8

Ethical implications encompass the impacts that research may have one what 4 things?

Answer 8

PPs.

Society.

Policies.

Particular groups.

Question 9

What are ethical implications?

Answer 9

Impacts that psychological research may have in terms of the rights of other people especially participants.

Question 10

What type of research do ethical implications often occur with?

Answer 10

Areas of research that are likely to be more controversial, and be subject to greater social sensitivity.

Question 11

What did Sieber and Stanley state in 1988 about socially sensitive research?

Answer 11

“Studies in which there are potential social consequences or implications, either directly for the participants in research or the class of individuals represented by the research”​.

Question 12

What are 3 examples of socially sensitive research?

Answer 12

Race.

IQ.

Disabilities.

Gender.

Age.

Class.

Occupations and professions.

Aggression.

Question 13

What do the socially sensitive research topics link to?

Answer 13

The protected characteristics.

Question 14

What are 2 advantages of carrying out socially sensitive research?

Answer 14

Explores social discriminations, allowing further education and informing.

Can allow for the improvement for the involvement of more social groups, e.g. disabled.

If socially sensitive studies weren’t researched, then important topics would not be discussed.

Better understandings of social divisions.

Question 15

What are 2 disadvantages of carrying out socially sensitive research?

Answer 15

Potential racism and prejudices if research supports a certain belief.

Research may be manipulated when in public, leading to discrimination.

Research must make sure that data is fully confidential, participants may not want personal findings to be published.

Question 16

Give 3 examples of research that is deemed socially sensitive.

Answer 16

Zimbardo.

Milgram.

Bowlby.

Rutter.

Bandura.

Question 17

Outline why Milgram’s research could be deemed socially sensitive.

Answer 17

Tested whether German’s where different, leading them to blindly obey, committing acts of murder without question.

This spreads a Nazi stereotype spread across all German citizens.

Question 18

Outline why Bowlby’s research could be deemed socially sensitive.

Answer 18

Suggested that only mothers can be primary care givers, ignoring the role of the fathers and other care givers.

Question 19

Outline why Zimbardo’s research could be deemed socially sensitive.

Answer 19

Looked into whether people had sadistic personalities, thus potentially leading to these people being treated differently in societies.

Question 20

What did Joan Sieber and Liz Stanley do in 1988?

Answer 20

Identified a number of concerns that research should be mindful of when conducting socially sensitive research.

Question 21

What are the 3 factors identified by Sieber and Stanley?

Answer 21

Implications.

Uses/public policy.

The validity of the research.

Question 22

Outline ‘implications’ as a factor identified by Sieber and Stanley.

Answer 22

The wider effects of such research should be carefully considered as some studies may be seen as giving ‘scientific’ credence to prejudice and discrimination, such as studies examining racial basis of intelligence.

However, the implications of research may be difficult to predict at the outset.​

Question 23

Outline ‘uses/ public policy’ as a factor identified by Sieber and Stanley.

Answer 23

What is the research likely to be used for? And what would happen if it was used for the wrong purpose?

This is related to the idea that findings may be adopted by the government for political ends or to shape public policy​.

Question 24

Outline ‘validity of the research’ as a factor identified by Sieber and Stanley.

Answer 24

Some findings that are presented as objective and value free in the past have actually turned out to be highly suspect, and in some cases, fraudulent (Burt IQ).

However, many modern social constructionist researchers- who may tackle socially sensitive research areas are much more up-front about their biases and preconceptions, and include comment on the reflexive nature of their work in their publications.​

Question 25

What psychological approaches commonly use animal studies?

Answer 25

Behaviourism.

Biological.

Question 26

State 2 studies that feature animals.

Answer 26

Harlow.

Lorenz.

Skinner.

Pavlov.

Question 27

What are 2 advantages of using animals in psychological research?

Answer 27

Tests the safety of medicines for humans.

Improves human conditions.

Easily accessible (compared to humans).

Some animals are similar to humans (e.g. chimpanzees).

Question 28

What are 2 disadvantages of using animals in psychological research?

Answer 28

Potential inhumane treatment of animals.

Lacks applicability if the animals that are tested do not have the same biological structures.

Animals can’t consent to their own use.

Question 29

What did Russell and Birch propose in 1959?

Answer 29

The 3 Rs.

Question 30

What are the 3 Rs?

Answer 30

Reduction.

Replacement.

Refinement.

Question 31

Outline ‘reduction’ as one of the 3 Rs.

Answer 31

Use fewer animals.

Question 32

Outline ‘replacement’ as one of the 3 Rs.

Answer 32

Where possible use alternative methods.

Question 33

Outline ‘refinement’ as one of the 3 Rs.

Answer 33

Use improved techniques to reduce stress.