Ethical Implications of Research & Theory

All psychological research raises ethical questions. The AQA specification requires you to understand the concept of socially sensitive research, the broader ethical implications of psychological theory and findings, and how research can have consequences beyond the laboratory.

Key Definition: Socially sensitive research (Sieber & Stanley, 1988) is research that has potential social consequences — for the participants studied, for the groups they represent, or for society at large.

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Sieber & Stanley (1988): Defining Socially Sensitive Research

Sieber and Stanley (1988) defined socially sensitive research as "studies in which there are potential consequences or implications, either directly for the participants in the research or for the class of individuals represented by the research."

They identified four key areas where ethical issues arise in socially sensitive research:

Area	Description	Example
The research question	Some questions are inherently sensitive	"Are there racial differences in intelligence?"
The methodology	How participants are treated and studied	Collecting data on illegal behaviour, sexual practices
The institutional context	Who funds and commissions the research	Government-funded research on immigration and crime
The interpretation and application	How findings are used by others	Genetic research being used to justify eugenics

Key Definition: The institutional context refers to the organisations and power structures that fund, commission, and use psychological research. Researchers may have limited control over how their findings are applied.

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Examples of Socially Sensitive Research

Race and Intelligence: Jensen (1969)

Arthur Jensen (1969) published a controversial paper arguing that racial differences in IQ scores were partly genetic in origin. He claimed that compensatory education programmes (such as Head Start in the USA) had failed because the IQ gap between racial groups was substantially genetic.

Evaluation (AO3):

• Jensen's research was heavily criticised for ignoring the effects of systemic racism, poverty, and unequal access to education on IQ test performance.
• IQ tests themselves may be culturally biased, favouring Western, middle-class knowledge and skills (an imposed etic).
• The research was used by political groups to justify cutting educational funding for minority communities — an example of findings being applied in ways the researcher could not control.
• This illustrates the danger of the interpretation and application of socially sensitive research.

Genetic Basis of Criminal Behaviour

Research into the genetics of antisocial behaviour — such as studies of the MAOA gene ("warrior gene") — raises ethical concerns:

• If criminal behaviour is partly genetic, should this affect sentencing? Should people be screened for "criminal genes"?
• Such research could lead to genetic determinism — the assumption that people with certain genes are destined to become criminals.
• In reality, the relationship between genes and complex behaviour is probabilistic, not deterministic, and is mediated by environmental factors (diathesis-stress model).

Research on Gender Differences

Research claiming significant cognitive differences between men and women (e.g., in spatial ability, mathematical reasoning) has been used to justify unequal treatment in education and employment.

Evaluation (AO3):

• Even where genuine differences exist, they are typically small and there is more overlap between genders than difference.
• Publicising gender differences without adequate context can reinforce stereotypes and create self-fulfilling prophecies (stereotype threat — Steele & Aronson, 1995).

Research on Homosexuality

Psychology has a troubled history with research on homosexuality:

• Homosexuality was classified as a mental disorder in the DSM until 1973.
• Aversion therapy was used to "treat" homosexuality — pairing same-sex images with electric shocks or nausea-inducing drugs.
• This is now recognised as deeply unethical and psychologically harmful — an example of how psychological theory and research can be misapplied with devastating consequences.
• Modern psychology recognises homosexuality as a normal variation of human sexuality.

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The Eugenics Movement

The eugenics movement of the early 20th century represents one of the most damaging applications of psychological research: