PAPER THREE: ISSUES AND DEBATES
TOPIC: Ethical implications
A01:
- Ethical implications = the impact that psychological research may have in terms of
the rights of other people
- Problems that occur within society once the research has been completed
- Social sensitivity = studies that have implications directly for the p’s or for the people
that the p’s represent
Sieber & Stanley, identified concerns researchers should be mindful of when conducting
socially sensitive research:
1. Implications = wider effects of research as some studies may give scientific credibility
to prejudice and discrimination
2. Uses/public policy = what is the research to be used for, findings may be adopted by
the government to shape public policy
3. Validity of research = some findings that were presented as objective and value free
have turned out to be fraudulent
Examples:
- Fraudulent Research = Burt, established the 11+ exam in the UK
- Produced evidence saying intelligence was genetic
- Later revealed much of his data was made up, he was publicly discredited
- Research informing policy = Bowlby, importance of a mother’s love during infancy
influenced the government decision not to offer free child care to children under 5
Dealing with ethical implications & social sensitivity:
- Research question
- Certain questions may be damaging to members of a particular group
- Methodology
- Consider the p’s rights to confidentiality and privacy
- Institutional context
- How the data is used, who is funding the research, reputation of the
researcher
- Interpretation & application of findings
- How the findings may be interpreted and applied in the real world
A03:
✓ - Socially sensitive research has benefited society
Research into the (un)reliability of eyewitness testimony has reduced the risk of miscarriages
of justice within the legal system
Suggests socially sensitive research may play a valuable role in society
✓ - Socially sensitive research has been used by the government to shape social policy
However, such research may be dubious in its nature meaning findings and conclusions are
applied without full consideration of the effects
Raises the question of who actually benefits from such research which may be difficult to
manage once the research is out there
X - The way in which research questions are phrased and investigated may influence the
way in which findings are interpreted
, Kitzinger & Coyle, research into ‘alternative relationships’ has been guilty of a form of
heterosexual bias within which homosexual relationships were compared and judged against
heterosexual norms
Suggests that investigators must approach their research with an open mind and be
prepared to have their preconceptions challenged if they are to avoid misrepresenting
minority groups
TOPIC: Ethical implications
A01:
- Ethical implications = the impact that psychological research may have in terms of
the rights of other people
- Problems that occur within society once the research has been completed
- Social sensitivity = studies that have implications directly for the p’s or for the people
that the p’s represent
Sieber & Stanley, identified concerns researchers should be mindful of when conducting
socially sensitive research:
1. Implications = wider effects of research as some studies may give scientific credibility
to prejudice and discrimination
2. Uses/public policy = what is the research to be used for, findings may be adopted by
the government to shape public policy
3. Validity of research = some findings that were presented as objective and value free
have turned out to be fraudulent
Examples:
- Fraudulent Research = Burt, established the 11+ exam in the UK
- Produced evidence saying intelligence was genetic
- Later revealed much of his data was made up, he was publicly discredited
- Research informing policy = Bowlby, importance of a mother’s love during infancy
influenced the government decision not to offer free child care to children under 5
Dealing with ethical implications & social sensitivity:
- Research question
- Certain questions may be damaging to members of a particular group
- Methodology
- Consider the p’s rights to confidentiality and privacy
- Institutional context
- How the data is used, who is funding the research, reputation of the
researcher
- Interpretation & application of findings
- How the findings may be interpreted and applied in the real world
A03:
✓ - Socially sensitive research has benefited society
Research into the (un)reliability of eyewitness testimony has reduced the risk of miscarriages
of justice within the legal system
Suggests socially sensitive research may play a valuable role in society
✓ - Socially sensitive research has been used by the government to shape social policy
However, such research may be dubious in its nature meaning findings and conclusions are
applied without full consideration of the effects
Raises the question of who actually benefits from such research which may be difficult to
manage once the research is out there
X - The way in which research questions are phrased and investigated may influence the
way in which findings are interpreted
, Kitzinger & Coyle, research into ‘alternative relationships’ has been guilty of a form of
heterosexual bias within which homosexual relationships were compared and judged against
heterosexual norms
Suggests that investigators must approach their research with an open mind and be
prepared to have their preconceptions challenged if they are to avoid misrepresenting
minority groups
