ethical implications and social sensitivity

Question 1

identify the BPS ethical guidelines

Answer 1

• respect
• competence
• responsibility
• integrity

Question 2

when does an ethical issue arise

Answer 2

when there is a conflict between the rights of the participants and the aims of the researcher

Question 3

what is socially sensitive research

Answer 3

• studies where there are potential consequences for the participants or the group of people the study represents

Question 4

what are the implications in for the research question in socially sensitive research

Answer 4

asking questions that may seem to add credibility to prejudice and sterotypes

Question 5

what are the implications in dealing with participants

Answer 5

did they find anything that could cause psychological damage

Question 6

what are the implications in the way findings are used

Answer 6

eg. IQ testing has been used in the past in America to identify the ‘feeble-minded’ - to be sterilised

Question 7

how could socially sensitive research benefit the groups being studies

Answer 7

• studies of underrepresented groups and issues may promote greater sensitivity and understanding of these
• research such as unreliability of eyewitness testimony has reduced risk of a miscarriage of justice in the legal system

Question 8

how can poor research design have a long term impact

Answer 8

• many societal groups have suffered consequences from being excluded / misrepresented in research
• understanding of human behaviour lessened by failure to involve disabled, elderly or disadvantaged in our research

Question 9

explain a real world application of ethical implications

Answer 9

• IOC guidelines means Hubbard becomes first transgender to compete in olympics
• takes testosterone suppressants
• criticism suggests people who have undergone male puberty retain significant advantages even after taking medications to suppress testosterone levels