Topic Summaries

Social sensitivity in psychological research

A-Level > Psychology > AQA > A-Level Psychology Topic Summaries > Issues and debates > Social sensitivity in psychological research
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Addiction

  • Social sensitivity: research on some topics in psychology may be controversial, especially if the results may stigmatise certain groups.
  • This raises ethical concerns including privacy issues and misuse of findings.Researchers must be mindful of wording, context, and societal impact when exploring such topics.
  • When researching, psychologists and scientists need to think about:
    • Their research question – ask the question carefully.
    • The methodology used – consider the treatment of individuals.
    • The motive behind the research – be mindful of how the results are going to be used.
  • Evaluation of social sensitivity debates:
    • Tackling sensitive topics (e.g. mental health, social prejudice) can raise awareness and promote social change.
    • Ethical frameworks: awareness of social sensitivity encourages more careful, responsible research design.
    • Participants or groups may face stereotyping, discrimination, or psychological harm.
    • Findings may be politically or socially exploited (e.g. research on race and gender differences).

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