Producing and Consuming Psychological Research

who are producers of research

research professors, basic science lab, universities or “think tanks”

who are consumers of research

informed citizens, teaching professors

why might people want to consume research

evidence-based decision making

who are both producers and consumers of research

applied scientists, consultants, practitioners

what do both producers and consumers of research have in common

empiricism, healthy skepticism, desire to do/know better

empiricism

using evidence from the sense or from instruments that assist the senses as the basis for conclusion, aim to be systematic and rigorous

what does healthy skepticism include

questioning methodology of a particular researcher, being apprehensive of the way someone wrote a news article about a study and wondering if they communicated it correctly

what does UNHEALTHY skepticism include

writing off entire fields without specific grounds for why you’re doing it

theoretical work

develop sets of propositions and hypotheses based on what is already known about a phenomenon through a systematic observation, make propositions about how to extend what we already know

laboratory work

test the propositions and hypotheses implied by theories using systematic observation

theory data cycle

An iterative process connecting theory and data, where data helps refine theories and theories guide future data collection, researchers use data to help test their theories

theory

set of research questions scaffolded together by logic and past observation

what makes a theory good

it’s falsifiable and has empirical support

what are two types of career paths for research in psychology

academics and practitioners

what does being an academic include

research-focused, teaching focused, blended

what does being a practitioner career path include

research and client-facing

evidence based treatments

therapies supported by research

cupboard theory of mother infant attachment

a mother is valuable to a baby because she is a source of food; baby experiences a pleasing feeling when fed by a mother, making her a positive sight bc she is the source of feeding

hypothesis

prediction stated in terms of the study design

data

set of observations

why should a good theory be falsifiable

should lead to hypotheses that, when tested, could fail to support the theory

what are empiricists not justified in doing

making generalizations about phenomena they have not observed

applied research

done with a practical problem in mind and researchers conduct their work in a local, real world context

basic research

tries to enhance the general body of knowledge rather than to address a specific practical problem

translational research

use of lessons from basic research to develop and test applications to healthcare, psychotherapy, or other forms of treatment and intervention; dynamic bridge between basic and applied research