Describe social and ethical implications in psychological testing.
Answers
A major issue confronting a psychological researcher is ethics. Research ethics comprise many different topics, including test construction and psychometrics. Areas of concern within these areas include, but are not limited to, measurement bias; validity and reliability; errors and the use of negligence or deception; areas of limitations in the research, and recommendations. The scientist must provide enough information about the research to ensure the applicability of the results. However, the experimenter should also include information about the misuse of research and the need to consult multiple sources of information. The researcher must ensure that they are abiding by ethical process as results may have consequences that the experimenter cannot foresee, and failing to comply with these processes may lead to the scorn of the scientific community. Because of the daunting nature of this process, it is necessary for the researcher to work with fellow scientists to confirm their research is reputable.