Applications of Psychology
Ethical Issues PY3
Starter Activity
• Spend 1 minute with a couple of friends
identifying ways that psychology could be
used in unethical ways in the real world.
Media
What is the role of a psychologist in the media?
What should be the role of psychologists in the
media?
What are the ethical issues when psychologists
get involved with the media?
2 case studies
Big Brother
Inside the Mind of Paul Gascoigne
How should psychologists behave
in the media?
12 Suggestions for psychologists in media
• Keith-Spiegel and Koocher (1985)
1. Find out the purpose of the study if it sounds exploitative don’t get
involved
2. Give a written statement to avoid misquotes
3. Invite the reporter back to answer questions and edit copy
4. Refuse to comment on areas you are not expert in
5. Qualify all salient statements
6. Do not speak for profession as a whole
7. Admit when you don’t have an answer
8. If the topic is controversial suggest the reporter gets a range of
views
9. Call back if you have made an error
10. Offer only possibilities not answers
11. Don’t diagnose by media- psychological evaluations should observe
confidentiality
12. Let the reporter know if you are dissatisfied with finished interview
The role of the BPS
• The BPS now recognises the demand for
Psychologists in the media and has
produced some guidelines:• Informed consent
• Manipulation of pps
• Other issues.
What is the role of a psychologist in the
media?
Watch clips of Big Brother Little Brotherwhat are the ethical issues with this
programme and the conduct of the
psychologists involved?
Is it just harmless fun?
If so, why get psychologists involved?
Does it misrepresent psychology?
Does it harm participants?
You could use your own knowledge
of previous BBs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RUnb4I
FAgU
What is the role of a psychologist in
the media?
On July 10th 2003 Channel 4 showed a film
called Inside the Mind Of Paul Gascoigne
The show set out to label all of his mental
distress. Psychologist Kevin Gournay
identified three types of mental disorder.
Attention Deficit Disorder, Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder and Tourettes Syndrome.
There was no personal examination. Friends
and family commented on how ‘mad’ they
thought he was. Labelled for life in media. No
discussion of media effect of celebrity status.
What do you think of this treatment of Gazza by a psychologist?
Positive Contributions
Negative contributions
Educates public in psychological
domain
Raises awareness of mental
health issues
Raises profile of psychologists as
scientists/professionals
Helps the public understand
people who are different to thempromotes tolerance
It is interesting- we are all
amateur psychologists
Helps people understand their
own behaviour and they can get
advice for self help
Ambiguity between advice and
therapy
Misinterpreted by those not expert
Sound bites are
superficial/inaccurate info
Damages vulnerable people
Labels vulnerable peopleyoung/unwell
Encourages a superficial analysis
of serious behaviour
Financial rewards will inevitably
lower standards of professional
behaviour
Task
• Identify two ethical issues for each case
study using pg 60.
• Write a short paragraph explaining the
issues and what the BPS
recommendations are.
Starter
• With a partner try to identify ways that
psychological knowledge might be used in
advertising.
Task
• Identify the ethical issues involved in the
use of psychology in advertising using pg
60 again.
• Do the ranking task on pg 4 on your
handout.
Starter
• In what ways might psychology be used by
the military? Discuss
• What theories/approaches in psychology
might be used by the military?
USES OF PSYCHOLOGY IN THE MILITARY
• The military understands the power of psychology
and its use has grown since WW2. Psychology in
the military is referred to as PsyOps.
• At first PsyOps was about human resources and
improving the lives of soldiers. E.g
• Mass IQ testing
• psychometric testing- matching skills to jobs
• Staff welfare, designing plane controls/sex
education for soldiers
Using Psychology to train animals for war
• BF Skinner was involved in training
pigeons to guide missiles into enemy ships.
• Dogs and dolphins were trained during
WW2 using psychological techniques to
carry bombs and search danger zones
• US Navy Seals? No this is a Sea lion
trained to detect mines and even leg cuff
terrorists and his assistant – a dolphin.
Psy Ops
• The Psychology of combat –
how to counteract CSR AND
PTSD.
• Interested in the effects of
captivity, interrogation
techniques and brain washing
• Ethical dilemma is that research
could be used to protect people
from the effects or to inflict harm
on enemies.
Zimbardo (1970)
Stanford Prison
Study
• Funded by US navy
• Linked to brutality of
Japanese guards in
WW2.
• Surprise arrest like
POW/hostage
• Depersonalisation-hoods
• Creativity of guards –
linked to lack of
organisation in Japanese
POW camps.
Interrogation
• Torture not that effective
• Soldiers trained to withstand
pain and die before they
divulge anything
• Military now more interested
in psychological techniques
• Why might this prevent
torture from taking place?
Task
• Summarise the ethical benefits of using
psychology in the military.
• Were there any ethical dilemmas
involved?
• Why is the military a special case when it
comes to the ethical code of conduct for
psychologists?
Starter
• What do you think about torture?
• Is it wrong under any circumstances?
Disadvantages of Psy- Ops
Sensory Deprivation –
Hebb et al (1952)
• Most Ps lasted 2 days one lasted 5
days
• Very stressful
• Experienced sensory distortions
• hallucinations
• cant tell if awake
• when released overwhelmed and
rather talkative and susceptible to
propaganda!
PY3 Ethical Issues
Sensory Disorientation
• Used by British army in NI
described by Shallice (1973)
• Victims suffered disorientation
through-torture/sleep
deprivation/drugs/hunger and
sensory deprivation
• Research is used to help
prepare soldiers/get enemies
to talk.
Military Applications
Brain washing
Dr Vincent: Example of brainwashing
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French doctor working in China
Arrested and taken to a Chinese
Communist Party re education centre
Lifton (1960) descriptive study
3 year programme of brainwashing or
re-education?? Depends on your view!
Arrest
Depersonalisation
Struggle
Leniency
Loss of control
Study
Change
Has modern application in training of
terrorists in UK.
PY3 Ethical Issues
Propaganda
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Research into the process is difficult
as hard to detect- the best
propaganda is undetectable
Includes mild distortions of already
held views and persuasive stories.
Psychological processes are
important here such as perception,
attention and attribution.
Conducting cultural analysis- makes
it more powerful -hit right buttons.
Often psychologists do this in
anthropological studies.
Power lies in control of media-e.g..
Gulf War Hometown News
Programme
The USA in Iraq avoid estimates of
Iraqi casualties
Nazis and Jews- Jews were to blame
for Germany’s economic problems
British propaganda Germans ate
babies, boiled enemies for soap,
raped women
Military Applications
PY3 Ethical Issues
Military Applications
psy ops
• US operations in Vietnam
studied
• Was used against
Vietnamese people
• encouraged defection in
Vietnamese army
• over 7million leaflets/156000
posters/month 2000 hours
of broadcasting
• stories of defected fighters
Weigh up the arguments
• Should psychologists promote peace or help humans deal
with war better and may be shorten the length of it?
• American Psychological Association has branch of
military psychology – is this a good thing?
• Military research attracts funding. Can lead to progresses
in scientific endeavour/knowledge?
• Helps soldiers work conditions?
• Cultural sensitivity itself is good- use of it isn't- can you
separate the research from it’s future use?
• Is any research likely to be reliable given the arena in
which it is carried out?