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?)

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)

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?

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.