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Discuss the practical issues faced by psychologists when designing and implementing research in learning theories and biological psychology. - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 14 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 14
Discuss the practical issues faced by psychologists when designing and implementing research in learning theories and biological psychology.
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Discuss the practical issues faced by psychologists when designing and implementing research in learning theories and biological psychology. - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 14 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
Practical issues include trying to control research to ensure replicability to increase reliability.
Answer
Psychologists often face challenges in controlling variables during experiments. Ensuring replicability is crucial for validating findings, but this can be difficult when external factors influence results. For instance, variations in participant behavior or environmental conditions can lead to inconsistent outcomes.
Step 2
The use of animals or rare/limited populations to represent general theories of human learning can lead to generalisability issues.
Answer
When research relies on animal models or small, specific populations, the findings may not be applicable to the broader human experience. This limitation raises ethical concerns and questions about the relevance of the results to common learning processes in humans.
Step 3
The practical issue of achieving findings that represent real-life requires researchers to limit the artificiality of tasks and environments.
Answer
Researchers must balance between controlled settings that isolate variables and realistic environments that reflect how learning occurs naturally. High artificiality can make findings less applicable in real-world contexts, which is a significant concern for psychologists aiming for practical implications.
Step 4
Some methods can be expensive to undertake leading to the practical issue of cost implications for researchers.
Answer
Research methodologies, such as functional imaging or longitudinal studies, can impose substantial financial burdens. These costs limit the feasibility of certain research designs, potentially leading to gaps in knowledge within learning theory and biological psychology due to funding constraints.