Ethical Implications of Research (OCR A-Level Psychology): Revision Notes
8.6 Ethical Implications of Research
Ethical issue: a conflict between what the researcher wants to know and the rights of participants
Ethical guidelines that need to be followed
- Deception
- Fully informed consent
- Protection from harm
- Confidentiality
- Right to withdraw
- Privacy – e.g. Zimbardo went to people's homes (private sphere) and arrested them
Socially sensitive research
studies where there are potential social consequences or implications
Can affect:
- Participants
- Their families/people close to them
- Cultures in a society e.g. ethnic minority groups
- The researchers and their institution
4 ways research may create social implications:
- The way that the researcher's question is worded – alone can create a feeling that a viewpoint has scientific credibility. e.g. is there a racial difference in IQ
- Treatment of participants – the main aspect being their confidentiality
- The context the research is carried out in – if sponsored by a drug company they may mislead the public when they publish findings by analysing them in a different way than intended
- Interpretation and application of findings – measure of findings to different situations – use of IQ testing to identify feeble-mindedness and then to impose sterilisation EXAMPLE STUDY - US sterilisation programme from 1907-1970's
60% of black women living in Mississippi were sterilised without their permission under Sunflower City Hospital
P: Socially sensitive research can lead to important societal benefits.
E: Research on socially sensitive topics, despite its potential risks, can inform policies and interventions that address social issues, such as discrimination or mental health stigma.
E: Therefore, conducting socially sensitive research responsibly can contribute to positive social change and inform public policy.
Ethical implications topic evaluation:
(1)
P: Ethical guidelines protect participants from long-term side effects of the research study
E: For example, ensuring participants' right to withdraw from a study at any time reduces the risk of enduring a situation that could have negative long-term effects.
E: Therefore, ethical practices reduce the potential for participants to experience physical or psychological harm in the long term as a result of their involvement in research.
(2)
P: Ethical considerations can limit the scope of research.
E: For example, avoiding deception or ensuring full transparency might restrict the types of studies that can be conducted, potentially limiting the depth of understanding in certain areas.
E: Therefore, while ethical guidelines protect participants, they may also limit the researcher's ability to explore certain theories fully.