usefulness of research

• what is the usefulness side of the debate

  research can be seen as useful when it has pracitcal applications that improve people’s lives
• what is the not useful side of the debate

  research is not useful if it can’t be practically used to improve people’s lives
• research is useful if…

  • can be applied to the real world
  • findings could be helpful
  • sample is representative
  • study is valid/ accurate
  • controls are used
• research isn’t useful

  lacks ecological validity

  sample can’t be generalised

  no controls

  findings aren’t useful outside the study
• how is chaneys study useful

  findings are helpful, same control (replicable), shows positive reinforcement can work
• how is changes study less useful

  parents might lie on the questionnaire, all the same age (lacks ecological validity), small sample, ethnocentric (all from australia)