After reading the Pygmalion effect (Rosenthal and Jacobson, 1968), on p. 18 of your Crane book, discuss whether you think the study was ethical. Give reasons to support your answer.
I dont think it was very ethical to perform a study that has lasting effects like after the study is over. I mean I wouldn't care if someone messed with my brain for a couple days but grades last forever.... unfortunately. Although if the teacher were to alter the grades to the deserved grade, I wouldn't have any problem with it. Even though I have this opinion, I still thought it was a very interesting study. You better believe in us, Higgins, because if I fail my IB test because of your incessant sarcastic remarks, we're going to have some problems! (:
It indeed is unethical but it sheds light upon something more important and interesting. Firstly, it is unethical because you gave some students an advantage to succeed over other students. This could play out to be bad; as these students grow older, they might still stay more intelligent than everyone else, only because the other students did not have the same opportunity that the students who are excelling did. Meaning that in the future they may have a better chance at getting into college and living a full life where as some other student that did not get the same attention could end up as hobo that lives under a bridge with a cart full of cats. The point here is that, that one little change in ones life could alter their entire future. The interesting part is the self-fulfilling prophecy part. The experimenters said that these certain students would excel and they did because of the teacher. Which also signifies the importance of teachers and the impact they have on the student.
I thnk this study is every unethical because like Sydney said grades have a lasting effect on us and not only academically but also in other aspects of our lives.One of the main things this effects is ego and how you feel about yourself, because this is such a big paart of how we determine our self worth any preconceived notions on academic proformance becaomes a self fulfilling prophecy.Although I do have to say this was a very interesting study on how grades effect how we preceive ourselves.
I do not believe that the study was ethical. First off, the students used were not informed of this study before it began, and, on page 18, it doesn’t say that they were informed about it afterwards, either. There was no debriefing and the students couldn’t just walk out of the classroom and withdraw themselves from the study. Their teacher’s expectations may have been the purpose of the study, but the students were affected the most. The bad grades from a year of school could easily affect a child’s academic record and may jeopardize their chances to get into college (or the next grade, for that matter). I agree with Sydney, Milan, and Rebecca: the study was interesting and the information is helpful to students and teachers around the world, but this doesn’t make the study any less unethical.
This study was not completely ethical because the testing probably involved an effect from the negative side as well. If the students were not expected to perform then they were treated unfairly compare to the student that were treated better. It is a helpful study that could help students learn better but to do the study some students were left out so it is unethical.
This study is not ethical due to the lasting effects it had on the students who were not expected to perform well. These students could have had a lowered self-esteem, which could lead into a harmful situation in the future. In addition, the students were not informed of their participation in the study.
I do believe this study is not ethical because you had some students who were given the chance to succeed while others were not given this chance. This could cause life changing effects on the person who did not get that opportunity at achieving success. Let us say this individual would have been the first person on Jupiter or made a cure for AIDS but they took this chance away from them by not letting them succeed. Now all they do is work a 9 - 5 job in the fields trying to support their children who stand on street corners. Congratulations on ruining their life.
Geez. As almost everyone said, I don't think it's ethical either. While the information earned from the experiment was no doubt useful, the participants themselves would have been subject to essentially a pre-determined future, which needless to say is quite unethical. It's quite possible that the students who were no doubt affected poorly by this, either consciously or not, developed a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ugh, then again this probably wouldn't have been such a major issue if it hadn't been revolving around students but military personnel. (It's like almost anything is okay with them...)*continues nonsensical blabbering*
-Definitely Michael. Yup, no doubt about it...
...*looks up* Well crud that looks mighty suspicious, eh? Just testing something...
I think that the study was not ethical. Mostly because the students were not informed about the study. This is kinda wrong because people should know if they are being used for a study and they should also know the results of the study. Also, grades have an effect on students and may cause them to be stressed if they don't do well. Also grades can stick with people for awhile. If they get a bad grade then it could affect them in the future.
Not to go against the grain here, but let's all try and look at the big picture. Superficially, the study might seem a tad unethical simply because we're trained to see foul play any time children are brought up in a study. On the other hand, these are children in grade school we are discussing. Though these years will have lasting effects, kindergarten isn't the end-all-be-all in your education. Second, the students were selected at random (not because they had very high or low IQs or were very privileged or poor) so they benefited unbiasedly, but not at the cost of other students. Just as in the real world, they were given an opportunity that wasn't handed out to everyone. We can not assume that the teachers in the study wouldn't have picked their own "protégés" anyway, then the children that were already prepared would have been focused on. Just because the odds were manipulated by a scientist and not fate doesn't mean that the study was unethical or unnecessary.
i think that this study was unethical. First of all, the students were not informed that they were being used for a study, although this might have changed the results of it. Second of all, grades are very important to most students, such as ourselves. Giving certain kids a boost or better chance compared to the others lowers certain students grades, which can cause them to become stressed. It affects them later on when apply to colleges and their overall grade.
I dont think it was very ethical to perform a study that has lasting effects like after the study is over. I mean I wouldn't care if someone messed with my brain for a couple days but grades last forever.... unfortunately. Although if the teacher were to alter the grades to the deserved grade, I wouldn't have any problem with it. Even though I have this opinion, I still thought it was a very interesting study. You better believe in us, Higgins, because if I fail my IB test because of your incessant sarcastic remarks, we're going to have some problems! (:
ReplyDeleteIt indeed is unethical but it sheds light upon something more important and interesting. Firstly, it is unethical because you gave some students an advantage to succeed over other students. This could play out to be bad; as these students grow older, they might still stay more intelligent than everyone else, only because the other students did not have the same opportunity that the students who are excelling did. Meaning that in the future they may have a better chance at getting into college and living a full life where as some other student that did not get the same attention could end up as hobo that lives under a bridge with a cart full of cats. The point here is that, that one little change in ones life could alter their entire future. The interesting part is the self-fulfilling prophecy part. The experimenters said that these certain students would excel and they did because of the teacher. Which also signifies the importance of teachers and the impact they have on the student.
ReplyDeleteI thnk this study is every unethical because like Sydney said grades have a lasting effect on us and not only academically but also in other aspects of our lives.One of the main things this effects is ego and how you feel about yourself, because this is such a big paart of how we determine our self worth any preconceived notions on academic proformance becaomes a self fulfilling prophecy.Although I do have to say this was a very interesting study on how grades effect how we preceive ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that the study was ethical. First off, the students used were not informed of this study before it began, and, on page 18, it doesn’t say that they were informed about it afterwards, either. There was no debriefing and the students couldn’t just walk out of the classroom and withdraw themselves from the study. Their teacher’s expectations may have been the purpose of the study, but the students were affected the most. The bad grades from a year of school could easily affect a child’s academic record and may jeopardize their chances to get into college (or the next grade, for that matter). I agree with Sydney, Milan, and Rebecca: the study was interesting and the information is helpful to students and teachers around the world, but this doesn’t make the study any less unethical.
ReplyDeleteThis study was not completely ethical because the testing probably involved an effect from the negative side as well. If the students were not expected to perform then they were treated unfairly compare to the student that were treated better. It is a helpful study that could help students learn better but to do the study some students were left out so it is unethical.
ReplyDeleteThis study is not ethical due to the lasting effects it had on the students who were not expected to perform well. These students could have had a lowered self-esteem, which could lead into a harmful situation in the future. In addition, the students were not informed of their participation in the study.
ReplyDeleteI do believe this study is not ethical because you had some students who were given the chance to succeed while others were not given this chance. This could cause life changing effects on the person who did not get that opportunity at achieving success. Let us say this individual would have been the first person on Jupiter or made a cure for AIDS but they took this chance away from them by not letting them succeed. Now all they do is work a 9 - 5 job in the fields trying to support their children who stand on street corners. Congratulations on ruining their life.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGeez. As almost everyone said, I don't think it's ethical either. While the information earned from the experiment was no doubt useful, the participants themselves would have been subject to essentially a pre-determined future, which needless to say is quite unethical. It's quite possible that the students who were no doubt affected poorly by this, either consciously or not, developed a self-fulfilling prophecy.
ReplyDeleteUgh, then again this probably wouldn't have been such a major issue if it hadn't been revolving around students but military personnel. (It's like almost anything is okay with them...)*continues nonsensical blabbering*
-Definitely Michael. Yup, no doubt about it...
...*looks up* Well crud that looks mighty suspicious, eh? Just testing something...
I think that the study was not ethical. Mostly because the students were not informed about the study. This is kinda wrong because people should know if they are being used for a study and they should also know the results of the study. Also, grades have an effect on students and may cause them to be stressed if they don't do well. Also grades can stick with people for awhile. If they get a bad grade then it could affect them in the future.
ReplyDeleteNot to go against the grain here, but let's all try and look at the big picture. Superficially, the study might seem a tad unethical simply because we're trained to see foul play any time children are brought up in a study. On the other hand, these are children in grade school we are discussing. Though these years will have lasting effects, kindergarten isn't the end-all-be-all in your education. Second, the students were selected at random (not because they had very high or low IQs or were very privileged or poor) so they benefited unbiasedly, but not at the cost of other students. Just as in the real world, they were given an opportunity that wasn't handed out to everyone. We can not assume that the teachers in the study wouldn't have picked their own "protégés" anyway, then the children that were already prepared would have been focused on. Just because the odds were manipulated by a scientist and not fate doesn't mean that the study was unethical or unnecessary.
ReplyDeletei think that this study was unethical. First of all, the students were not informed that they were being used for a study, although this might have changed the results of it. Second of all, grades are very important to most students, such as ourselves. Giving certain kids a boost or better chance compared to the others lowers certain students grades, which can cause them to become stressed. It affects them later on when apply to colleges and their overall grade.
ReplyDelete