Research methods in psychology by B. Morling (third edition) – Chapter 1 summary

It is important to both produce and consume research. A research consumer is important, because to effectively know something or to put a theory or treatment in to use, it is imperative that the research consumer knows the evidence behind the evidence-based treatment. It is important to be able to decide how valuable and useful a research really is.

Both research producers and research consumers share an interest in psychological phenomena, such as behaviour or emotion. They also both share a commitment to the practice of empiricism: to answer psychological questions with systematic observations.

The cupboard theory is the idea that young animals (but also your dog) clings on to the caregiver because the caregiver provides food. The contact comfort theory is the idea that young animals (but also your dog) clings on to the caregiver because the caregiver provides warmth and contact comfort. These theories have been tested and followed the empirical cycle.

THE EMPIRICAL CYCLE

The empirical cycle always starts with an observation.

Induction -> Theory -> Deduction -> Prediction ->Testing -> Results -> Evaluation -> Observation - > Induction

1. Observation
   You make an observation. This can be based on past research or an ‘every day method’.
2. Induction
   This is the process of coming up with a theory that explains your observation. In this phase you research your research question.
3. Theory
   After you’ve researched your research question you can find or come up with a theory. A theory is a set of statements that describe general principles about how variables relate to one another. A good theory is supported by data from previous studies, it should be falsifiable; it has to be possible to debunk the theory and a theory should not be unnecessarily complex. This is called parsimony. (preferring the simplest theory)
4. Deduction
   This is the process of formulating a prediction that follows from your theory. You make an hypothesis: a predicted answer to your research question.
5. Prediction
   A specific event that will occur if your hypothesis is true.
6. Testing
   This is the process of verifying your prediction. You have to operationalize your test. This is determining how you will test your prediction.
7. Results
   You have the results of your test.

Data are a set of observations. Depending on whether the data are consistent with hypotheses based on a theory data may either support or challenge a theory. The best theories should be supported by data from studies, should be parsimonious and falsifiable.

Basic research is used to enhance the general body of knowledge. Applied research is done with a practical problem in mind. Translational research is the dynamic bridge between basic and applied research. E.g: a basic research is about schizophrenia. Translational research is used to develop a new treatment for schizophrenia and applied research is used to see how people diagnosed with schizophrenia can fit better into today’s society using the newly developed treatment.

To make sure a research isn’t deeply flawed the researchers write a paper and send it in to a scientific journal. Here it is peer-reviewed. This is done by several experts on the subject and is always anonymous. The experts review the research and comment on it. A research should also be transparent, so other researchers can not only see what you did in your research, but can also replicate it.

A study can be published in a journal, where it is mostly read by scientists and scholars, but it can also be published in a magazine. This can be useful, because a study can become more well-known and give the general public useful tips about life, but it can also be tricky, since journalists often go for sensational headlines instead of meaningful headlines. This means that sometimes journalists pick out a research that has not yet been peer-reviewed and thus not yet thoroughly criticized.