1
Q
What are ethical implications?
A
- we have seen how ethical issues may arise when there is a conflict between psychology’s need to valid and valuable research findings whilst, at the same time, preserving the rights and dignity of participants
- thus ethical guidelines were established to help protect those involved in research
- what may be more difficult to guard against, however is the social impact of psychological research once it has been conducted
- although researchers may exercise considerable control over the methods they select and they way they treat participants, they may have relatively little say in terms of how their research findings are represented or misrepresented in the media, the impact of their work on public policy and how it may influence our perception of particular groups in society
- this amounts to a concern with the wider ethical implications of research
2
Q
What is socially sensitive research?
A
- clearly, some areas of research are likely to be more controversial and be subject to greater social sensitivity, than others
- a stud that examines the cognitive processes involved in long-term memory, for instance is unlikely to have far-reaching consequences for these that take part or for the broader social groups the participants represent
- research investigating the genetic basis of criminality on the other hand, might
- studies that tackle socially sensitive taboo topics, such as aspects of race or sexuality, also attract a good deal of attention; not merely from other psychologists but also from the media and the public at large
- however, just because this is the case, it should not lead to psychologists shying away from research that may be socially sensitive
- in fact, because of the undoubted importance of such research, psychologists may have a social responsibility to carry it out
3
Q
What are the types of ethical issues in socially sensitive research?
A
- Siebert and Stanley have identified a number of concerns that researchers should be mindful of when conducting socially sensitive research
- implications
- uses/public policy
- the validity of the research
4
Q
What are implications?
A
- 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 the racial bias of intelligence
- hovered the implications of research may be difficult to predict the outset
5
Q
What are uses/public policy?
A
-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
6
Q
What is the validity of the research?
A
- some findings that were presented as objective and value-free in the past have actually turned out to be highly suspect, and in some cases, fraudulent
- however, many modern social constructionist researchers - who may tackle socially sensitive areas of research - are much more up-front about their own biases and preconceptions, and include comment on the reflexive nature of their work in their publications
7
Q
What are the evaluation points of ethical implications of research studies and theory?
A
+socially sensitive research can reduce prejudice
+researchers know to keep an open mind to avoid misinterpretation
-could be used by the government to change social policy with harmful consequences like subliminal messages
-the government in the USA sterilised people that were said to be feeble minded e.g. drug addicts
8
Q
How are benefits of socially sensitive research a positive?
A
- despite the ethical implications associated with research into controversial and taboo topics, Scarr argues that studies of underrepresented groups and issues may promote a greater sensitivity and understanding of these
- this can help reduce prejudice and encourage acceptance
- similarly, socially sensitive research has benefitted society - for instance, research into the (un) reliability 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
9
Q
How is framing the question a positive?
A
- Siebert and Stanley warn that the way in which research questions are phrased and investigated may influence the way in which findings are interpreted
- we saw earlier in the chapter how cross-cultural research may be blighted pby cultural superiority and ethnocentrism on the part of the researchers
- also Kitzinger and Coyle note how research into so called alternative relationships has been guilty of a form of heterosexual bias within which homosexual relationships were compared and judged against heterosexual norms
- this suggests that investigations much approach their research with an open mind and be prepared to have their preconceptions challenged if they are to avoid misrepresenting minority groups
10
Q
How is who gains a negative?
A
- socially sensitive research has been used by the government and other institutions to shape social policy, despite the sometimes dubious nature of its findings and without full consideration of the moderating effects of the environment on characteristics such as intelligence
- there is other research that may seem harmless but also has socially sensitive consequences
- for example in the 1950s research into the persuasive effects of subliminal messages was used by marketing companies to advertise their products
- one stud claimed that sales of Coca-Cola and popcorn increases significantly when images of these were flashed up on cinema screens too quickly for audiences to be aware of them
- it was later revealed that the author of the study, Packard had med his findings up
- Although there was little damage done in this context, research that seeks to manipulate the public has obvious ethical implications
- it also raises the issue of who benefits from such research - which may be particularly difficult to manage once the research is out there
11
Q
What is the race and IQ controversy?
A
- Goddard issued IQ tests to immigrants as they arrived in the US and went on to claim that his findings demonstrated how the majority of Russians, Jews, Hungarians and Italians were feeble-minded though he failed to pointy out that many of he tests he set requires an understandings of English
- Fifty years later, Shockley sparked controversy by claiming there might be genetic reasons that black people in Ameirca tended to score lower on IQ tests than whites
- in 1969, Jensen published a lon article with the suggestion that compensatory education for ethnic minorities had failed to that date because of genetic group differences
- finally the 1994 book the bell curve by Richard Bernstein and Charles Murray reignited the debate by claiming that intelligence and race were linkers
- in his 1996 book the mismeasure of man the second edition of which was published in response to the bell curve, Stephen Gould criticised research on race and intelligence on account of its scientific research on race and intelligence on account of its scientific racism
- his argument was that intelligence is not a measurable entity and researchers often fail to acknowledge the in-built cultural bias in IQ tests
- in addition the attempt to link race and IQ is a form of biological determinism that has been used, over the years, to justify social inequality
12
Q
How did Burt and Bowlby’s research influence public policy?
A
- Burt was influenceial in establishing the 11+ examination in the UK, which was used to determine whether children had a secondary modern education or went on to study at grammar school a decision which arguably had a significant impact in their subsequent life chances
- Burt’s views were based on the evidence he produced that intelligence was genetic, citing studies of twins that showed a heritability coefficient of .77
- discrepancies in his data later revealed that Burt had made much of it up, as well as inventing two research assistants and he was publicly discredited
- the 11+ however, and the idea that children should be separated on the basis of their natural intelligence, remained for a good few years afterwards and still lingers
- Bowlby’s research into attachment and maternal deprivation saw him become an adviser for the world health organisation in the early 1950s
- Bowlby’s argument, that his mother love in infancy is as important for mental health as vitamins are for physical health, influenced the way in which at least a generation of children were raised
- it may have also influenced the UK government’s decision not to offer free child care places to children under five despite the fact that this is typical in other countries
- finally, Bowlby’s work could have had an indirect effect of the legal norm that mothers agree granted custody of the children in divorce and separation cases whereas previously it was invariably given to fathers
13
Q
how is social control a weakness of ethical implications?
A
- in America in the 1920s and 30s, a large number of US states enacted legislation that led to the compulsory sterilisation of many citizens on the grounds that they were feeble minded and a drain on society
- this included people deemed to be of low intelligence, drug or alcohol addicts and the mentally ill
- the rationale supported by many sections of the scientific and psychological community at the time, was that such feeble minded people were unfit to breed
- the fact that socially sensitive research has been used to prop up discriminatory practices in the past is and argument against its widespread adoption
