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:

1. 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
2. Treatment of participants – the main aspect being their confidentiality
3. 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
4. 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

Ethical implications topic evaluation:

(1)

(2)