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Chapter 2
Psychological Science
Psychologists study the behavior of both humans and animals, and the main purpose of this
research is to help us understand people and to improve the quality of human lives. The results of
psychological research are relevant to problems such as learning and memory, homelessness,
psychological disorders, family instability, and aggressive behavior and violence. Psychological
research is used in a range of important areas, from public policy to driver safety. It guides court
rulings with respect to racism and sexism (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954; Fiske, Bersoff,
Borgida, Deaux, & Heilman, 1991), [1] as well as court procedure, in the use of lie detectors
during criminal trials, for example (Saxe, Dougherty, & Cross, 1985). [2] Psychological research
helps us understand how driver behavior affects safety (Fajen & Warren, 2003),[3] which
methods of educating children are most effective (Alexander & Winne, 2006; Woolfolk-Hoy,
2005), [4] how to best detect deception (DePaulo et al., 2003), [5] and the causes of terrorism
(Borum, 2004). [6]
Some psychological research is basic research. Basic research is research that answers
fundamental questions about behavior. For instance, biopsychologists study how nerves conduct
impulses from the receptors in the skin to the brain, and cognitive psychologists investigate how
different types of studying influence memory for pictures and words. There is no particular
reason to examine such things except to acquire a better knowledge of how these processes
occur. Applied research is research that investigates issues that have implications for everyday
life and provides solutions to everyday problems. Applied research has been conducted to study,
among many other things, the most effective methods for reducing depression, the types of
advertising campaigns that serve to reduce drug and alcohol abuse, the key predictors of
managerial success in business, and the indicators of effective government programs, such as
Head Start.
Basic research and applied research inform each other, and advances in science occur more
rapidly when each type of research is conducted (Lewin, 1999). [7]For instance, although research
concerning the role of practice on memory for lists of words is basic in orientation, the results
could potentially be applied to help children learn to read. Correspondingly, psychologist-