Socially Sensitive Research

Question 1

What is social sensitivity?

Answer 1

The personal ability to perceive, understand and respect the feelings / viewpoints of others.

Question 2

What is socially sensitive research according to Sieber & Stanley?

2 examples of who is may affect?

Answer 2

Research that has potentially negative consequences for those involved.

• Participants involved in the research.
• group of people the research represents.

Question 3

Socially sensitive research examples? (3)

Answer 3

• Ethnicity
• Sex/gender
• Research that causes harm

Question 4

What are the 4 ways in which research can be socially sensitive according to sieber and Stanley? Brief explanation?

Answer 4

• research question (not bias or harmful)
• methodology used (ethics mainly)
• institutional context (who is funding the research/use of results)
• interpretation/application of findings (how will their results be applied to real world)

Question 5

Strengths of socially sensitive research? (2)

Answer 5

1. Reducing prejudice (challenging misconceptions)
2. Direct impact on social policies/practices (eyewitness testimony)

Question 6

Weaknesses of socially sensitive research?

Answer 6

1. Stereotyping (can encourage harmful stereotypes)
2. Use of research (government may use research to shape social policies which may affect certain social groups)

Question 7

Examples of socially sensitive research? (3)

How?

Answer 7

• Milgram (Germans are different hypotheses)
• Freud (children being sexual beings)
• Baron-Cohen (autism research)