Chapter 3. Psychological Science

Approximate reading time: 3 minutes

In this chapter, you will learn about some basic characteristics of research in psychology. Some psychological research is basic research, and it answers important questions about how people behave. For example, biopsychologists study how nerves carry messages from our skin to our brain, while cognitive psychologists look at how our brains remember and use information. On the other hand, there is applied research. It looks into real-life issues and tries to find solutions to everyday problems. Applied researchers study things like how to help people with depression, which advertisements could reduce drug and alcohol abuse, what makes someone a successful manager, and how to tell if government programs are working. Basic and applied research complement each other and help us learn more about how we think and act.

The results of psychological research are reported primarily in research articles published in scientific journals. The research reported in scientific journals has been evaluated, critiqued, and improved by scientists in the field through the process of peer review. In this book, there are many citations of original research articles, and you are encouraged to read those reports when you find a topic interesting. It is only by reading the original reports that you will really see how the research process works. Your college or university library is likely to subscribe to PsycINFO, which is a database that indexes all scholarly work in psychology. You are encouraged to browse PsycINFO to see what information it has on topics of interest to you.