usefulness

Question 1

when is research useful

Answer 1

Research is useful if it has
real-world practical
applications that benefit
people

Question 2

when is research less useful

Answer 2

less useful if
the findings don’t apply to
everyone or lack ecological
validity

Question 3

studies that are useful

Answer 3

• Bandura - useful for parents to be aware
  of not exposing children to negative
  influences such as violence on TV
• Loftus and Palmer - useful for the police
  in knowing the most effective way to
  question witnesses (i.e. not using leading
  questions)

Question 4

research that is less useful

Answer 4

• Freud - the findings lack validity and
  therefore are not particularly useful
• Kohlberg – not useful because he says
  progression through stages of moral
  development is automatic and can’t be
  speeded up by external input

Question 5

advantages of useful research

Answer 5

• Can have practical applications that improve
  the quality of people’s lives
• It can improve the reputation of psychology
  as an academic discipline and lead to more
  funding for future research

Question 6

weaknesses of research being useful

Answer 6

• If research has to be useful, it will stop
  research from being carried out which is not
  useful now but could be useful in the future
• Research which is useful could also be put to
  negative uses which harm others
• The need to carry out research that has
  useful practical applications could lead
  psychologists to break ethical guidelines