Transcript Socially sensitive research

• Research that has implications that
extend beyond the PPs used in the
study, during the study
• For the participants
• For the group they represent
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Socially sensitive research
• People potentially affected include:
• The participants themselves (beyond the
study)
• People close to them (e.g. family, friends,
colleagues)
• The social group from which they were
drawn (e.g. ethnic, cultural)
• The researchers & their institution
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Socially sensitive research
• Researchers need to be cautious
because:
• SSR has the potential to affect the lives of
many people
• By its nature, it attracts the attention of
psychologists, media & the public – so
often high profile
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Socially sensitive research
• Lee (1993)
• SSR is that which contains an element
of threat or risk
• Topics that are private, stressful or sacred
• Potential for exposure of incriminating or
stigmatising info
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Socially sensitive research
• Sieber & Stanley (1988)
• Research can become SSR for many
reasons including:
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The research question
Treatment of pps
The institutional context
Interpretation and use of findings
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Socially sensitive research
• Examples include:
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Hamer (1993) – ‘The Gay Gene’
Raine (1996) – ‘Killer Babies’
Lowney (1995) – ‘Teenage Satanists
Humphreys (1970) – ‘The Tea Room’
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Socially sensitive research
• SSR can have major consequences for
researchers e.g.:
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Negative media exposure
Conflict with colleagues
Loss of position/job
Threats from extremist groups
• Can we blame researchers if they avoid
SSR?
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Views on SSR
• Scarr (1988)
• We have a responsibility to do SSR even if
we don’t like the findings
• SSR can be very important in raising
awareness e.g. of inequality & its effects
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Views on SSR
• Aronson (1992)
• Stopping SSR or conducting it in secret
would be a backward step
• Better to educate the public about SSR so
they are able to understand it better and
recognise abuses
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Views on SSR
“Shying away from controversial
topics…[is] an avoidance of
responsibility.”
Sieber & Stanley (1988)
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Views on SSR