Psychological research goals

There are four main goals/purposes of psychological research:
 * Explore (exploratory) - scope out, get to know, and reveal more about a phenomenon (e.g., what do people think about happiness is?)
 * Describe (descriptive) – describe behaviour, thoughts, emotions etc. (e.g., how happy are people?)
 * Explain (explanatory) – identify causes of psychological experience (e.g., why are some people happier than others?)
 * Predict (predictive) – identify factors that indicate when an event will occur (e.g., what social policy changes can improve happiness?)


 * Explore/Describe
 * Use observational methods, surveys, case studies.
 * Give a verbal or numerical picture.
 * Describe average or typical features of a group
 * Present basic background information or a context.
 * Describe e.g., characteristics of a group e.g., in terms of age, IQ, personality etc.
 * attitudes to environment – positive or negative – but no indication of why these attitudes exist.
 * Basic background information or a context.
 * Find information to stimulate new explanations. e.g., criteria for classifying mental disorders (e.g., DSM)


 * Explain
 * Identify factors that indicate when an event will occur
 * Most psychological research has explanation as its goal – how sure we can be about establishing cause & effect depends on the research design used
 * Use correlational methods; correlation between two events or variables
 * Do stressful life events lead to increased physical illness?
 * Do stressful life events lead to increased physical illness?


 * Predict
 * Use experimental method to test an explanation – usually based on theory
 * e.g., Environmental behaviour is predicted by intentions, attitudes, norms and pbc
 * Clear test of a hypothesis derived from theory
 * Extend a theory or principle in to new areas of issues
 * Provide evidence to support or refute an explanation or prediction

The research goal will influence the research method.