In every area of study, research is quite a crucial tool in finding and making conclusions about a certain phenomenon. Researchers make analysis of existing literature concerning a topic of research or study because carrying out a research can be quite cumbersome; therefore, it would be crucial to borrow ideas from articles written by other researchers.
In the course of handling this paper, there will be an examination of the fundamental concepts utilised in research in relation to the study of psychology. The paper will also be based on the provision of relevant examples in relation to demonstrating the need and for psychology. Additionally, this paper will be based on discussions on various concepts in relation to psychology by explaining various scientific methods used in carrying research in this field.
The paper will also draw a distinction between qualitative and quantitative data gathered and utilised in carrying out research. Finally, the paper will shed some light on the procedure to be utilised in construction and testing of a scientific theory.
Although psychology has been presented as a subject for quite a long time now, it has been hard to define the subject conclusively. However, there have been several misconceptions in relation to the subject as depicted by the media and education systems due to a diversified career path in this field.
Psychology defines the scientific study of how the brain of a person functions in the urge to determine his or her mentality, hence the behaviour depicted (Haslam & McGarty, 1998). However, the discipline can never be complete if it is not applied. Psychology as a field of study aims at understanding a certain behaviour depicted by a certain group or an individual.
This aspect is established through defining general principles and initiating a research on a specific case for the benefit of the community at large. Researchers in this field engage in different categories of psychology that include behavioural, cognitive, and social psychology. Psychologists and researchers in this field tend to seek to explain how people think, act, and feel.
Psychology is applied in various spheres in life, which include enhancing the performance of employees, treatment of mental illnesses, and many other areas that affect an individual’s health status (Shaughnessy, Zechmeister & Zechmeister, 2009). However, researchers refer to psychology as the science that is directly related to mind and behaviour.
The concept also seeks to explain how various internal and external factors are interrelated, hence affecting the mind and behavioural processes. In the verge of verifying some phenomenon, psychologists work tirelessly to propose theories that are attested through conducting researches on psychology. The study of psychology has been quite crucial to the society.
Individuals directly linked with this field have assisted different professionals to deal and assist several members of the society. Provision of essential information has led to the utilisation of psychology in coming up with good tools and interventions to solve various issues facing the society (Haslam & McGarty, 1998).
For instance, through the application of psychology, a psychologist developed a system to help doctors in identifying mental problems in persons above the age of 14 years. In the 1930s, John McKinleya, a neurologist cum a psychiatrist, came up with “Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, (MMPI)” (Pearson, 2010, Para. 13) with the help of Starke Hathaway- a psychologist.
The system comprised of approximately 500 questions that the patient would take to enable doctors to diagnose the psychiatric problem (Pearson, 2010). Through the utilisation of this tool, doctors were able to identify major symptoms that relate to personal and medical maladjustments in patients.
However, the model had many other functions that included the assessment of patients who needed medical attention, assistance in designing medical treatment for such clients, and general counselling. According to Pearson (2010), it was evident that various assessments could never be developed and implemented successfully without the utilisation of the science related to psychology.
Assessment included identification of candidates for the occupation of high-risk jobs and evaluation of drug addicts to develop a suitable and appropriate treatment plan. Currently, most researchers have adopted scientific methods of research to gain more knowledge as compared to the traditional research methods.
Through the scientific method of research, researchers are in a position to make conclusions about studies being carried out without being biased or with minimum bias. Every research is subject to biasness, especially in the interpretation of data gathered because every researcher tends to have a personal stake in the results of his or her work.
Another reason could be the fact that every personal opinion is justifiable when presented as a fact. In order to eliminate the personal stakes and biased opinions, a standard method was devised by the science community and is expected to be utilised by all members in testing hypothesis (Smith, Breakwell & Wright, 2011). Several steps are carried out systematically in order to have a successful research.
Steps involved include developing a question that is usually the topic of research, which is also the basis under which the research will be conducted. This step is followed by the formation of hypothesis to explain some aspects of observations to be made. Testing the hypothesis is crucial as it prepares the researcher to predict other phenomena that could be left out.
Once the design of the research has been laid out, it is vital for the researcher to evaluate the ethics that he or she has complied to while carrying out the study. The next step involves the identification and evaluation of risks and both the existing and potential benefits. Data is then collected, an analysis is carried out, and the findings reported (Breakwell, 2007).
While conducting a research, data collected can be either qualitative or quantitative. The two types of data differ for qualitative data consists of summaries, observations, and analyses. On the other hand, quantitative data consists of numbers, statistics, percentages, and analysis based on formulas.
For instance, “one out of 5 mothers die daily due to birth complications” is an example of a quantitative data, while “there are high chances for young girls living in slums to procure an abortion” illustrates qualitative data, and both types are of equal significance in a given study.
Construction and testing of scientific theory is a significant aspect while carrying out a research on psychology. The first step in this theory is the proposal of a theory that consists of a set of closely related thoughts that explain a group of observations. Hypothesis seeks to describe the developed theory (Breakwell, 2007). Experiments are quite crucial as they are used to test both theory and hypothesis.
The theory depicts the start of any project through the provision of a hypothesis that can be tested. The researcher must be at a position to relate variables that are available to him or her, as those constructs allow the researcher to explain the relationship that exists between dependent and independent variables (Smith, Breakwell, & Wright, 2011).
The researcher must also evaluate theories proposed to ascertain whether the validity of the stated hypothesis. In case of a wrong hypothesis and the researcher finds out the mistake, he or she can rephrase it and restart all over. Accuracy of the results obtained depends on the validity of the data and internal tests.
References
Breakwell, G. M. (2007). Research methods in psychology. Los Angeles, LA: Sage.
Haslam, S. A., & McGarty, C. (1998). Doing psychology: An introduction to research methodology and statistics. London, UK: Sage Publications.
Pearson. (2010). Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Web.
Shaughnessy, J., Zechmeister, B., & Zechmeister, J. (2009). Research Methods in Psychology. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Smith, J., Breakwell, G., & Wright, B. (2011). Research methods in psychology. London, UK: Sage.