Developing Ideas for Research

Question 1

Basic research

Answer 1

Designed to understand fundamental psychological phenomena

Question 2

Those involved in basic research have studied:

Answer 2

• Perception
• Learning
• Cognition
• Basic neurological and physiological processes

Question 3

Applied research

Answer 3

Designed to have direct and immediate relevance to the solution of real-world problems

Question 4

Those involved in applied research have studied:

Answer 4

Using a cell phone while driving to examine the effects of attention

Question 5

Strayer and Johnson

Answer 5

Adapted a basic research methodology (shadowing) to an applied research study about distracted driving

Question 6

Researchers have labeled the merging of basic and applied research as…

Answer 6

translational research

Question 7

Laboratory research

Answer 7

• Greater control
• Conditions can be specified
• Participants can be selected and placed in different conditions

Question 8

Field research

Answer 8

• More realistic of everyday life

Question 9

Field research is often (but not always) ______ research

Answer 9

applied

Question 10

Laboratory research is often (but not always) _______ research

Answer 10

basic

Question 11

Quantitative research

Answer 11

Data is collected and presented in the form of numbers (graphs, measures of central tendency)

Question 12

Qualitative research

Answer 12

Studies that collect interview information (case studies)

Question 13

2 important features of an empirical question

Answer 13

1. Can be answered with data (qualitative/ quantitative)

2. Terms are precisely defined

Question 14

Operational definitions

Answer 14

A definition of a concept or variable in terms of precisely described operations, measures, or procedures

Question 15

Converging operations

Answer 15

Understanding increases as studies with slightly different operational definitions and experimental procedures converge on a common conclusion

Question 16

Empirical questions may evolve out of…

Answer 16

1. Everyday observations
2. The need to solve a problem
3. Theory testing
4. New question generated from past research

Question 17

Deduction

Answer 17

Reasoning from a set of general statements toward the prediction of a specific event

Question 18

Induction

Answer 18

Reasoning from specific events to the general statements

Question 19

Do scientists use the words “prove” and “disprove” when discussing theories?

Answer 19

NO

Question 20

3 attributes of good theories

Answer 20

1. Productivity
2. Falsification
3. Parsimony