How Applied Research Is Used in Psychology

How Applied Research Is Used in Psychology Basics Print How Applied Research Is Used in Psychology By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on June 27, 2019 More in Psychology Basics Psychotherapy Student Resources History and Biographies Theories Phobias Emotions Sleep and Dreaming Applied research refers to scientific study and research that seeks to solve practical problems. This type of research plays an important role in solving everyday problems that often have an impact on life, work, health, and overall well-being. Applied research is used to find solutions to everyday problems, cure illness, and develop innovative technologies. There are many different types of psychologists who perform applied research. Psychologists working in human factors or industrial/organizational fields, for example, often do this type of research. Examples A few examples of applied research in psychology include: Investigating which treatment approach is the most effective for reducing anxietyResearching which strategies work best to motivate workersStudying different keyboard designs to determine which is the most efficient and ergonomicAnalyzing what type of prompts will inspire people to volunteer their time to charitiesInvestigating if background music in a work environment can  contribute to greater productivity As you may notice, all of these examples explore topics that will address real-world issues. This immediate and practical application of the findings is what distinguished applied research from basic research, which instead focuses on theoretical concerns. Basic research tends to focus more on big picture topics, such as increasing the scientific knowledge base around a particular topic. Applied research tends to drill down more toward solving specific problems that affect people in the here and now. For example, a social psychologist performing basic research on violence might look at how different factors might contribute to violence in general. A psychologist conducting applied research might tackle the question of what type of programs can be implemented to reduce violence in school settings. However, researchers also suggest that basic research and applied research are actually closely intertwined. Basic research often informs applied research, and applied research often helps basic researchers refine their own theories. As you can see in the example above, the information learned from basic research often builds the basis on which applied research is formed. How It Works Applied research usually starts by identifying a problem that exists in the real world. Applied psychologists then conduct research in order to identify a solution. The type of research that is used can depend upon a variety of factors including unique characteristics of the situation and the kind of problem psychologists are trying to solve. Researchers might opt to use naturalistic observation to see the problem as it occurs in a real-world setting. They might then conduct experiments to help determine why the problem occurs and to explore different solutions that might solve it. Potential Challenges As with any other types of research, challenges can arise when conducting applied research in psychology. Some potential problems that researchers might face when performing this type of research include: Ethical challenges. When conducting applied research in a naturalistic setting, researchers may come across concerns about privacy and informed consent. In some cases, such as in workplace studies conducted by industrial-organizational psychologists, participants may feel pressured or even coerced into participating as a condition of their employment. Problems with validity. Since applied research often takes place in the field, it can be difficult for researchers to maintain complete control over all of the variables. Extraneous variables can also exert a subtle influence that the experimenters may not even consider or realize are having an effect on the results. In many cases, researchers are forced to strike a balance between a studys ecological validity (which is usually quite high in applied research) and the studys internal validity. Since applied research focuses on taking the results of scientific research and utilizing it directly in real-world situations, those who work in this line of research tend to be more concerned with the external validity of their work. External validity refers to the extent that scientific findings can be generalized to other populations. Researchers dont just want to know if the results of their experiments apply to the participants in their studies. They want these results to also apply to larger populations outside of the lab. Because applied research investigates realistic problems, applied researchers are often concerned with the external validity of their studies. This means that they attempt to observe behaviors that can be applied to real-life situations, explains Dawn M. McBride in  The Process of Research in Psychology. This is important because these researchers want to be able to apply their results to a problem that applies to individuals who are not participants in their study (as well as to those individuals who were observed in the study. External validity is also a consideration in basic research but in some cases can be less important that it is in applied research. How Its Used in the Real-World What are some examples of how applied research is used to solve real-world problems? A hospital might conduct applied research on how to prepare patients for certain types of surgical procedures.A business might hire an applied psychologist to assess how to design a workplace console to maximize efficiency and productivity while minimizing worker fatigue and error.An organization might hire an applied researcher to determine how to select employees that are best suited for certain positions within the company. A Word From Verywell Applied research is an important tool in the process of understanding the human mind and behavior. Thanks to this kind of research, psychologists are able to investigate problems that affect peoples daily lives. While this kind of research specifically targets real-world issues, it also contributes to our base of knowledge about how people think and behave.

The Effects Of Divorce On Our Society - 1034 Words

The United States is a country that takes pride in the fact that no matter what religion, race or sex you are you can join together in the unity of marriage. Many people dream of growing up and marrying the love of their life and having a family, but they do not take into consideration there are 2.3 million marriages a year, with over 1.2 million divorces (â€Å"The Impact of Divorce on Our Society†). Divorce is not limited to breaking apart the husband and wife; it destroys families, siblings and the future of the American children. Divorces cause money, crime and education issues and an overall effect on the children caught in the middle, which follows them into their adult life. A $1,000 of taxpayer’s money is spent dealing with the consequences of broken families (â€Å"The Impact of Divorce on Our Society†). The amount of money spent in divorce procedures and in the long run is astronomical. From divorce lawyers to child support, there is no denying this bonus part of life is expensive. It impacts families as well as tax payers and the government. The median household net worth is $132,000 for marrieds, $35,000 for singles, and $33,670 for divorced individuals (â€Å"The Impact of Divorce on Our Society†). If people get married, they have a far better chance to earn a comfortable living, but they have to stay together. If not, the taxpayers and government have to pay consequences for divorces. If people took the time to make sure their partner was for life, then the expense wouldShow MoreRelatedEssay about How Divorce is Affecting the American Culture1667 Words   |  7 PagesThe effects of divorce on the American culture are immense . Social scientists have been studying these effects for many years now. 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The two candidates, George Bush and Al Gore, gave their views and outlined the agendas they hoped to implement inRead MoreEvolution of the Typical American Family Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pageswill talk about are divorce and its effects, welfare, abusiveness on children and wives, and a couple of articles in the book, Families in the U.S. One tough thing about todays American family is divorce. In 1816, one marriage out of one hundred ended in divorce. Then between the years 1869-1888, divorce increased up to one hundred and fifty percent. And the worse, between the years 1960-1980, the divorce rate increased up to two hundred and fifty percent. Divorce rates peaked in 1981Read MoreHow Divorce Has Changed Changing Society1491 Words   |  6 PagesSociety is constantly changing. We are able to visualize these changes year after year by way of statistics. This allows us to be able to use these values to qualitatively analyze correlation, causation, and effect. 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Mystery And Suspense In Where Is Here By Joyce Carol Oates

If there was no characters, there would be no story. Characters make up a story, along with other aspects of course, but characters come with different types of personalities. With the characters and their personalities it can create different types of moods for the readers. The characters bring these moods in stories such as a scary story, which is very important. Characters make the story have mystery and suspense. In the story Where is Here, by Joyce Carol Oates, the author uses one of the characters in the story to create a mysterious mood because he was very strange. With the character being strange it builds mystery by making the reader want to know what his next move is. The author uses characters to establish many characteristics†¦show more content†¦I don’t like this† (1 2) Soon however it was as the mother and father had switched moods. The mother was acting very nice and wanted the stranger to come in. Before long the father wanted the man out and be came very aggressive. The author does this to show how the mother and father started to act very differently when the stranger showed up. It makes us ask the question, how did the stranger bring these personalities to the mother and father so quickly. She is trying to build suspense upon the story. The author puts mixed moods in the readers when the characters all start acting different. It makes the reader wonder why the characters are acting like this making the reader want to know whats going to happen next. With suspense building, the reader comes to the edge of there seat and the author does this so the reader can feel like there in that moment. Write your second body paragraph from another text, focusing on the same element as mentioned in your introduction paragraph. Authors love characters because they are the motor in the story or poem. Characters are the ones that physique the entire story with mystery and suspense. In the poem Windigo, by Louise Erdrich, there is many ways the character builds suspense and mystery. The character itself is a flesh eating demon in which builds suspense already to what he is going to do throughout the story. He comes after a child not directlyShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Where Are You Going, And Don Moser s The Piped Piper Of Tucson ``1365 Words   |  6 Pagesreality. Throughout the modern times, monsters unanimously appear in â€Å"the real world.† Angela Carter’s â€Å"The Fall River Axe Murders,† Joyce Carol Oates’ â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,† and Don Moser’s â€Å"The Piped Piper of Tucson† all have parts relating to reality. Moser’s and Carter’s stories are completely nonfiction. It looks as if they are in competition with Oates’ story, in a sense of determination of whether fiction appears to be more forthcoming to truth than nonfiction. Simultaneously

Women in A Raisin in the Sun Free Essays

Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun is the story of a struggling black family in Chicago. This story embodies Hansberry’s use of strong black women, she was a realistic artist, fascinated by ordinary and real people with each one clearly and vividly drawn. In this play, Hansberry portrays courageous and revolutionary women who share struggles with each other and also with their men. We will write a custom essay sample on Women in A Raisin in the Sun or any similar topic only for you Order Now Hansberry speaks loudly about the role women have played in the struggle for freedom. In A Raisin in the Sun, Hansberry shows three major female characters in very different stages in their lives. Lena wants to save her family from dissolution by resolving conflicts, remaining righteous and being the rock and the leader of the Youngers. Beneatha wants to both develop her intellect by attending school and be of service to humanity by practicing medicine; Ruth, on the other hand, wants Travis to grow up in a decent home in a decent neighborhood. However, they all share a common goal for their family. Although different from each other, the women remain unified at the end of the play when the whole family decides to move into a new house, significant because they would rather face the dangerous risk of moving into a racist neighborhood than stay in their poor situation. Mama portrays the traditional, holy, black woman during the period of the civil rights movement, much like that of the time she is the backbone in their house and supports the family through their many trials and tribulations. Throughout the play Walter, Lena Younger’s son, is undoubtedly a catalyst in the troubles the family faces. He seems helpless and feels he is less than a man because his family is poor and he has so many aspirations. During the play he lobbies for the support of the family to give him the money to invest in a liquor store, and finally in a critical scene, even though she has her doubts, Mama hands over part of the ten thousand dollars of his father’s life insurance to him. Walter may not know it but she is handing over the duty as the head of the household to him. After their heart-wrenching face to face talk with her son, Lena doesn’t want his dream to be deferred, she says, â€Å"Listen to me now. I say I’ve been wrong, son. That I been doing what the rest of the world been doing to you† ( ). Through giving this money to Walter, Lena hopes his spirits will lift before the family loses him. She then says, â€Å"There ain’t nothing worth holding on to, money, dreams, nothing else if it means it’s going to destroy my boy†. ( ). It is evident that there is nothing more important to Lena than her family’s happiness, and as a mother she only has Walter’s best interest in mind. Although Lena can be seen as an old-fashioned black woman she also displays some forward thinking on her part when she buys a house for her family. Not only does she just buy a house but she dares to buy one in a white neighborhood. She knows she is taking a risk but she does it anyway to improve her family’s living situation, advancing on the concept that her family always comes first. The house that she brought was the best she could find for her money and she wasn’t going to be denied such an opportunity because of the racist neighborhood. She is tired of her family being held back by white society in which Walter is mostly the victim. At one point Lena waivers at moving because Walter loses the money. She loses hope for a moment. This scene is the most dramatic scene because when Lena learns that Walter lost the money, she slaps him with anger. She then illustrates how hard his father worked for the money. She says â€Å"I seen†¦ him†¦ night after night†¦ come in †¦ and look at that rug†¦ and then look at me†¦ the red showing in his eyes†¦ the veins moving in his head†¦ I seen him grow thin and old before he was forty †¦ working and working like somebody’s old horse †¦ killing himself †¦ and you – you give it all away in a day†¦ † ( ). Lena just couldn’t stand the thought of her husband working everyday for nothing. However, even though she didn’t like what he did, she later scolds Beneatha for criticizing him because she doesn’t want Walter to be hurt any further. Ruth and Lena show tremendous understanding with Walter. In the story Hansberry describes Ruth by writing, â€Å"We can see that she was a pretty girl, even exceptionally so, but now it is apparent that life has been little that she expected, and disappointment has already begun to hang in her face† ( ). It is apparent by the way Hansberry describes Ruth that times have been hard for her. It is understandable though, black women were expected to do domestic work as well as work outside the home to complement their husband’s income and effectively handle both major tasks. Ruth also displays a lot of strength when she deals with a pregnancy that the family may not be able to support. Through all of these responsibilities more stress is added on to the fact that Walter shuts her out emotionally. Ruth’s relationship with Walter becomes distant as the play goes on, Walter simply doesn’t feel the support he needs from her and he doesn’t know how to get back to a good place with their relationship. Ruth doesn’t seem supportive at first, however she really understands him, she wants a better life for her family, too but she’s just more of a realist. Ruth does tip-off Lena that Walter wanted the money to start a business when she says, â€Å"Ain’t nobody business people till they go into business. Walter Lee say colored people ain’t never going to start getting ahead till they start gambling on some different kinds of things in the world – investments and things†. ( ). After Lena mentions buying a house Ruth gets excited because she knows that to save her marriage and her family they must move into the new house, it also means that she can keep the new baby on the way. Beneatha’s character in A Raisin in the Sun portrays how a radical, independent black female would act, she represents a new generation of women that to be free. In one part of the play Beneatha rejects God, saying â€Å"I’m sick about hearing about god† Her intense personality and stubborn attitude is probably what causes her to lose her faith. She doesn’t realize that faith is what helped her family through hard times. Beneatha’s main goal throughout the play was to pursue her education and become a doctor. During the civil rights movement a black female doctor is very rare and even thinking about entering practice may be looked down upon. In the beginning Beneatha was not supported by her brother Walter, he may have felt jealousy and couldn’t stand the thought of part of the insurance money going to her schooling. He criticized Beneatha’s dreams, which is hypocritical because he does not want anybody criticizing his. Walter doesn’t support his sister’s dream of being a doctor because he wants the money for himself. Beneatha’s love interests in the story confirm her beliefs. George Murchinson essentially believes in what her brother thinks and Asagai supports her. George is not sensitive enough to notice that Beneatha is an intellectual and only feels he needs to suit her physical needs as well. Asagai, on the other hand, appeals to Beneatha’s intellectual and psychological needs. Beneatha is at a stage where she wants to feel at ease and be encouraged to philosophize and express her opinions. She is definitely more receptive towards Asagai because he supports her dreams. The Younger women may argue and disagree but would never betray their family or their race. They, as a whole, act not only as the rock of the family, but the glue that bonds everyone together. Walter would be lost without the support he receives and although he does not show it very often, he loves all of them very much. The women of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun play a key role in the stability of the family and a clear picture into the hearts and minds of the characters, they are an integral part of the play. How to cite Women in A Raisin in the Sun, Essay examples

Braham Stokers Dracula Draculas Essay Example For Students

Braham Stokers Dracula Draculas Essay Free Essay on Dracula In the novel Dracula there are many qualities that are necessary for success. Firstly determination is a key factor to succeeding; secondly revenge is a factor in succeeding; furthermore fearlessness plays a big role when they go to kill Lucy; lastly intelligence is needed to make all the plans. When Jonathan Harker get captured by Dracula he is afraid, but he is also determined to get free. I can not say in this room much longer for I shall die, he said. A small crack of light appeared through the stones. I pushed the stone with all my might but it only move, I found a carving utensil which I used to make the hole bigger said Jonathon. The hole got bigger and bigger then the stone just fell out. When Jonathan Harker and the rest of the people go to hunt Dracula they are determined to kill him because they do not want Dracula to kill anyone else. In order to kill Dracula they must plunge a stake through its heart, cut off its head, and stuff its mouth with garlic. They use silver knives to kill him just as the sun sets. Get him before he flees said Jonathan, he must not get away. Arthur proceeds with the stake cautiously. I got him yelled Arthur. Abraham shoves a clove of garlic in the Counts mouth. get him before he tries to get away. Jonathan and Quincey, use silver knives to cut off his head. We have finally done it we killed Dracula said Quincey. Jonathon was determined to escape. Arthur, Abraham, Jonathan, and Quincey are determined to kill Dracula. In order to get out of the Counts castle Jonathan thinks of three things survival, escaping and kill the Count for trapping him in the castle. I cant die I have to get out, I have to end his rain of terror, he can`t get away with what he did to me said Jonathan. This shows that Jonathan Harker wanted to kill Dracula through revenge, but he also killed him so Dracula would not kill anyone else. When Van Helsing, Holmwood, Seward, and Quincey Morris go to kill Lucy they must be fearless of the un-dead. Van Helsing leads Holmwood, Seward, and Quincey Morris go on there search to kill Lucy. We have to go kill her there is no other way said Van Helsing Therefore they must be fearless to go and kill vampire. Jonathan Harker was an intelligent man so was Arthur, Abraham, and Quincey. If they were not intelligent they would not have come up with plans to kill Dracula, and Jonathan would not have escaped from his castle. Therefore if these men were not smart Jonathan would not have escaped and the rest of the story would not have happened . In conclusion there are many qualities that are necessary for success such as, determination, revenge, and intelligence if the qualities did not exist the story would not have gone anywhere.

Ways to Write Research Paper Cover Page

Title page for your research paper is not very difficult to make. There are 3 different formats by using them you can easily make your title page depending on the demand of your professor. These three formats are American Psychological Association (APA), the Modern Language Association (MLA) and Chicago style. These three formats are used depending on your requirements. Following are some tips by for writing research paper cover page; Making a title page with APA: The spacing of your title- Use return key to move your title down the page about 1/3 of your page. If the title is long or has colons in it, then write it in two lines. In this style, you have to be as accurate as possible. Capitalize the important words in the title such as noun, verbs, and adjectives but there is no need to capitalize unimportant words or words with less than 3 letters. Write your name- After writing the title of your research paper, write your name but dont write a title such as Dr., prof. If there are two or more than two authors of the paper than write them by separating with commas and ‘and. Write the name of your institutions- Now write the name of your university or the organization you are linked with to tell the readers where you have done most of your research. If there is only one author or more than one author belonging to the same organizations, then write the name of the organization after listing down the names of author/s. But if there are different authors affiliated with different universities than write the name of each author with the name of the organization he/she is affiliated with. Double spacing title-page- Highlight your text by selecting the spacing button from the HOME tab of a word document. Then form space drop-down menu, select ‘2 and your text is double-spaced now. Placing the title in center horizontally- Highlight your text on the page then select the button under paragraph to center the text. Add running header- A running header is used at the top of the page and goes throughout the page. Here all capital letters are used for a title. Formatting the page- 12-point Times New Roman font is used here and also make sure to have 1 inch of margin on all sides. Making a title page with MLA: Skip the title page unless it is required- In this style, the title page is not required unless asked by your teacher. In this format, you just simply write your title in the center of your page and start writing your text from the next line. If you are doing your title page this way then just simply write your name, your teacher name, course name, and the date by double spacing it on the upper-left hand side. A header on the right side includes your name and page number on the page. Skip your page down- In this format too; you have to start writing 1/3 down of the page. Write your title in one line even if it has semi-colon but if it is too long to adjust in one line than write it in two line by separating them from the semi-colon. Also, capitalize important words. Write your name under the title- Leave a blank line and write ‘By to place your name after it. if there are two authors than separate their names with ‘and’ and if there are more than two authors than write their name by separating them with commas. Move to the bottom- There you will have only three lines at the bottom where you have to write your class name and section in one line, then professor name in the second line and date in the last and third line. Center the text horizontally- Highlight the text, use paragraph grouping and click the center button to center the text. Format your page- Title page like rest of the paper should have 1-inch of format and with a readable font such as TIMES NEW ROMAN, in 12-point size. Making title page with Chicago style: Type your tile- Reach 1/3 down of your page and start writing your title in capital words in one line unless it has a subtitle. If it has a subtitle, write it in the next line. But try to adjust it in the first line. Skip some page- Leave four or five lines after writing down the title and then start writing the next part of your title page from there. Write name, class information, and date- Now write your name, then hit the return key and write class information and at the end again press return key and write the date. The date should be in the format of; first the name of the month, the date and then the year. Center the text- Highlight the text, use paragraph grouping and click the center button to center the text. Format your page- In this format 1 or  ½ inch of margins is used, which is also applied to the rest of the page. Chicago recommends TIMES NEW ROMAN and Palatino with 12-point font.

Aztecs vs Incas essays

Aztecs vs Incas essays Two of the biggest and greatest civilizations in the Americas were the Aztecs and the Incas. These two civilizations were both said to be conquered by the Spanish, but it was not just the Spanish who conquered them. They both also fell from a combination of a weak government, lack of technology, new disease introduced by invaders, and not being prepared for the invasion of their empires. For many centuries the Aztec civilization revolved around an ideological, social, and political system in which expansion was the cornerstone. Expansion was the cornerstone of their whole civilization because their religion requested that a large number of human sacrifices were to be made to the gods. To get these sacrifices the Aztec went to war with other tribes in Mexico. The people that they captured became sacrifices to the gods. With each conquest more sacrifices and more land was added to the Aztec kingdom. The Aztecs had a strong civilization that was familiar with organized, large scale war, had specialized war chiefs, and a well organized system of territorial levy in which large armies could be brought together in a short period of time. Although, they may have been well prepared or organized for a war, but they were not prepared for internal changes in their civilization. When expansion was no longer an option, their system crumbled. Without expansion they could no longer give the human sacrifices in the same amount in which they used to. Upon the arrival of the Spanish the Aztec government was falling apart, and Montezuma II (ruler of the Aztecs) programs of internal military consolidation and administrative and social stabilization had failed. . The Spanish used the Aztecs own legends to take advantage of them and gain the upper hand. Montezuma believed that Hernando Cortes, leader of the Spanish army, was the God Quetzalcoatl. An Aztec legend said that Quetzalcoatl was driven away by another rival g...