Issues - Ethical Implications of Psychological Research

Question 1

Define ‘social sensitivity’.

Answer 1

Socially sensitive research refers to psychological research that has potential negative social consequences for the participants or the wider population represented in the study.

Question 2

Identify ways of reducing social sensitivity.

Answer 2

• Carefully consider the research question to avoid harm to certain groups.
• Scrutinise funding sources to avoid agendas (e.g. from pharmaceutical companies).
• Sensitively brief and debrief participants to make them aware of potential implications.
• Maintain confidentiality to avoid discrimination.
• Clearly report findings to prevent media or others from misinterpreting them.

Question 3

What are the ethical implications of psychological research?

Answer 3

Ethical implications refer to the impact research may have on participants and the broader society. This includes how findings may be used, misunderstood, or misapplied. Researchers often cannot control how their findings are interpreted and used, which can lead to harm, such as:
- Participants being judged, as seen in Milgram’s obedience study.
- Groups being labelled and discriminated against, like in Lombroso’s theory linking appearance and criminality.
- Policy changes affecting societal groups, such as Bowlby’s theory contributing to lack of early childcare support, affecting working mothers.

Question 4

Discuss one strength of raising awareness of ethical implications in psychology.

Answer 4

Highlighting these implications has led to more socially responsible research. For example, criticism of Bowlby’s maternal focus led to studies on fathers’ roles, revealing they contribute to child development too. This influenced policies like increased paternity leave and reduced pressure on mothers, supporting their return to work. This shows that raising such issues can lead to positive societal change.

Question 5

Discuss another strength of addressing ethical implications in research.

Answer 5

Although no official guidelines exist, researchers are encouraged to follow good practices (e.g. considering research questions, checking funding motives, briefing participants, maintaining confidentiality, and clearly reporting findings). These steps help reduce the risk of socially sensitive outcomes, showing the value of ethical awareness in research.

Question 6

Discuss one limitation of research into ethical implications.

Answer 6

Despite awareness and ethical guidelines during studies, no official guidance exists for managing how findings affect wider society. This leaves many groups vulnerable to being stigmatised or discriminated against, showing the limitations of current efforts to address social sensitivity.

Question 7

Discuss another limitation of recommendations for reducing social sensitivity.

Answer 7

Some argue that avoiding sensitive research questions limits scientific progress. If researchers shy away from controversial topics, psychology may fail to fully understand human behaviour. This suggests the need for a cost-benefit analysis approach—research should proceed when potential benefits outweigh the risks, even if some social sensitivity is involved.