Research methods - Peer review and the economy Flashcards
What is the purpose of peer reviewing?
Peer reviewing is an important step of the process of having an article published, where other scientists provide feedback on the study. It helps to provide a level of quality control to research.
Who reads a peer-reviewed journal article? What do they provide?
Read by several scientists (generally anonymously) with expertise in the subject matter. They provide feedback - to both the author and the journal editor - regarding the quality of the draft.
The journal editor will decide if the article can be published or not or if it can be published with revisions.
What do peer-reviewers look for?
strong rationale for the researcher being described
a clear description of how the research was conducted
evidence that the research was conducted in an ethical manner
flaws in the study’s design, methods and statistical analyses
check that the conclusions drawn by the authors seem reasonable given the observations made during the research
how valuable the research is in advancing the discipline’s knowledge
What does peer-reviewing help?
Helps prevent unnecessary duplication of research findings in the scientific literature and makes sure that each research article provides new information
Provides some degree of quality control for psychological research
How does peer-review allow for replication?
Makes sure that the research is described clearly enough to allow other scientists to replicate it, meaning they can repeat the experiment using different samples to determine reliability
What are the positive impacts of psychological research?
+ Makes citizens more productive, and boost the economy by reducing absence from work
+ Can reduce costs to society, allowing money to be invested into other things such as technical innovations
How is Clinical psychology beneficial?
Clinical psychology seeks to understand and treat mental health problems, which are among the greatest causes of days lost to work worldwide.
It is estimates that mental health problems cost the economy £70 billion per year, which exceeds what it would cost to make psychological therapies available to everyone
What does political psychology seek to understand?
Seeks to understand prejudice, social injustice and the marginalisation of minorities, helping these groups to play a fuller role in society and the workplace
What does cognitive psychology seek to understand?
Seeks to understand the psychology of creativity including where new ideas come from, and an understanding of long-term memory can be used to help workers train faster and more effectively
What does educational psychology seek to understand?
Seeks to understand mood, motivation and effective learning. This can be applied in schools to increase attainment and by employers to boost productivity
What does forensic psychology seek to understand?
Seeks to understand and tackle crime, for example via the study of eyewitness testimony and rehabilitating offenders
+ This benefits businesses and workers, and reduces costs to society e.g from unfair convictions and increases the supply of potential workers
What does developmental psychology seek to understand?
Seeks to understand healthy childhood attachments and cognitive development
+By improving the mental health, intelligence and skills of the next generation, this can boost the quality of the workforce and decrease costs to society
What does environmental psychology seek to understand?
Seeks to understand and promote sustainable behaviour, reducing the costs associated with waste and environmental damage and tackling long-term global threats
