PSYC1094 Empirical Psychology Exam
Why are ethical considerations important in psychological research? Describe two ethically
dubious studies and note what these studies have contributed to Psychological understanding.
Finally, explain how they could have been conducted in an ethically acceptable manner.
For a study to be considered ethically dubious it must break the set guidelines proscribed by
the governing body of psychological research in the given area the research is conducted such as
the BPS or APA. Ethical considerations are important in research as they make sure participants
are not at risk of any harm and are informed about what they are taking part in, they also help
address if the study is worth the risks for the possible findings.
One piece of research that was conducted and is ethically dubious is the research conducted
by Arling and Harlow (1967) on baby rhesus monkeys with looking into attachment. During this
study baby rhesus monkeys were taken away from their mothers at birth and placed in cages
with doll mothers for long periods of time. One of the dolls had only a cloth body with the other
having a bare wire body but had a food source attached to it, the baby monkeys were then
exposed to a loud noise to scare the monkey to see which mother it would go to when
distressed. The study found that the monkeys would go to the comforting cloth mother in times
of needing comfort and protection but then only go to the wire mother when needing feeding.
As a result of study, the baby monkeys grew to become socially withdrawn with maternal issues
with some even developing psychological issues refusing to reproduce. This is ethically dubious
as it caused serious distress on to the baby monkeys during and after the study with everlasting
conditions that were never tended to. To add to this Harlow’s treatment of the monkeys also
worsened as the studies continued, the studies themselves became even more ethically
problematic as they went on such as the ‘Pit of Despair’ and ‘Iron Maiden’ contraptions used in
the studies made by Harlow.
The original study with the doll mothers despite the ethical issues did have important
implications in psychology as it disproved the cupboard love theory that was established at the
time showing that comfort from a mother was equally if not more important in attachment
between a mother and child than just food.
A possible way to make the study more ethical could be to reduce the total amount of
monkeys used in the study so that less are harmed but also limiting the exposure to the study
the baby monkeys have as they were used from 3 months upwards to a 1 year during the
original study which this prolonged time maybe the cause to the immense distress seen in the
monkeys afterwards. Potentially allowing the monkeys to interact with other monkeys during
the study too may help negate the negative effects from the study as the monkeys will have a
chance form/learn social behaviours, so they are not harmed after the study.
Another study that is ethically questionable is the ‘Little Albert’ study conducted by Watson
& Rayner (1920). During this study, the participant ‘Little Albert’ was given a phobia of white
rabbits, which then carried over to anything that was described as white and fluffy, via classical
conditioning. This happened by every time Albert went to interact with the white rabbit a metal
pan was hit creating a loud noise to cause distress in Albert to trigger a fear response. After
prolonged exposure to this the fear response was associated with the white rabbit so that then
Why are ethical considerations important in psychological research? Describe two ethically
dubious studies and note what these studies have contributed to Psychological understanding.
Finally, explain how they could have been conducted in an ethically acceptable manner.
For a study to be considered ethically dubious it must break the set guidelines proscribed by
the governing body of psychological research in the given area the research is conducted such as
the BPS or APA. Ethical considerations are important in research as they make sure participants
are not at risk of any harm and are informed about what they are taking part in, they also help
address if the study is worth the risks for the possible findings.
One piece of research that was conducted and is ethically dubious is the research conducted
by Arling and Harlow (1967) on baby rhesus monkeys with looking into attachment. During this
study baby rhesus monkeys were taken away from their mothers at birth and placed in cages
with doll mothers for long periods of time. One of the dolls had only a cloth body with the other
having a bare wire body but had a food source attached to it, the baby monkeys were then
exposed to a loud noise to scare the monkey to see which mother it would go to when
distressed. The study found that the monkeys would go to the comforting cloth mother in times
of needing comfort and protection but then only go to the wire mother when needing feeding.
As a result of study, the baby monkeys grew to become socially withdrawn with maternal issues
with some even developing psychological issues refusing to reproduce. This is ethically dubious
as it caused serious distress on to the baby monkeys during and after the study with everlasting
conditions that were never tended to. To add to this Harlow’s treatment of the monkeys also
worsened as the studies continued, the studies themselves became even more ethically
problematic as they went on such as the ‘Pit of Despair’ and ‘Iron Maiden’ contraptions used in
the studies made by Harlow.
The original study with the doll mothers despite the ethical issues did have important
implications in psychology as it disproved the cupboard love theory that was established at the
time showing that comfort from a mother was equally if not more important in attachment
between a mother and child than just food.
A possible way to make the study more ethical could be to reduce the total amount of
monkeys used in the study so that less are harmed but also limiting the exposure to the study
the baby monkeys have as they were used from 3 months upwards to a 1 year during the
original study which this prolonged time maybe the cause to the immense distress seen in the
monkeys afterwards. Potentially allowing the monkeys to interact with other monkeys during
the study too may help negate the negative effects from the study as the monkeys will have a
chance form/learn social behaviours, so they are not harmed after the study.
Another study that is ethically questionable is the ‘Little Albert’ study conducted by Watson
& Rayner (1920). During this study, the participant ‘Little Albert’ was given a phobia of white
rabbits, which then carried over to anything that was described as white and fluffy, via classical
conditioning. This happened by every time Albert went to interact with the white rabbit a metal
pan was hit creating a loud noise to cause distress in Albert to trigger a fear response. After
prolonged exposure to this the fear response was associated with the white rabbit so that then
