(13) Peer Review -psychological research+Economy

• peer review ensures that any research intended for publication is of high quality
• peer review is the assessment of scientific work by other who are specialists in the same field
• the aim of psychology is to :

  • produce a body of knowledge through conducting research
  • how this knowledge is communicated within the scientific community and to the wider public
• in psychology research findings are published through :

  • conferences
  • textbooks
  • via academic journals
• before a piece of research can become part of a journal, it must be subject to a process of peer review
• peer review involves all aspect of the written investigation being scrutinised by a small group of usually two or three experts (peers) in the particular field
• experts undergoing the peer review should be objective and unknown to the author or researcher
• The main aims of Peer Review :

  • to allocate research funding
  • to validate the quality and relevance of research
  • to suggest amendments and improvements
• To allocate research funding - peer review aim :

  • used to decide whether or not to award funding for proposed research project
  • may be coordinated by government run funding organisations (eg medical research council)
  • vest interest to establish research projects, provide cure, treatments, explanation for treatments
• To validate the quality and relevance of research- peer review aim :

  • all elements of research are assessed for quality and accuracy
  • formulation of hypothesis, methodology chosen, the statistical testing and conclusions drawn
• To suggest amendments or improvements - peer review aim :

  • may suggest minor revisions of the work
  • suggest way to improve report
  • extreme cases = may conclude that the work is inappropriate for publication and should be withdrawn
• Benefits of Peer Review :

  • establishes the validity and accuracy or research
• Criticism of Peer Review :

  • anonymity
  • publication bias
  • burying around - breaking research
• Anonymity :

  • usual practice that the ''peer'' doing the review remains anonymous - likely to produce a more honest appraisal
  • minority of peers may use their anonymity to criticise rival researchers - perceive have crossed them in the past
  • likely true - researchers are in direct competition for limited research funding
  • some journals favour system of open reviewing - names of reviewer(s) made public
• Publication Bias - criticism of peer review:

  • natural tendency for editors to publish significant 'headline grabbing' findings to increase the credibility and circulation of their publication
  • prefer to publish positive results - file drawer problem
  • could mean research does not meet criteria is ignored or disregarded
  • creates false impression of the current state of psychology
• File Drawer Porblem :

  • refers to selective reporting of scientific findings
  • tendency of researchers to publish positive results much more readily than negative results
  • negative results - ends up in researchers drawer
• Burying ground breaking research - criticism of peer review :

  • may suppress opposition to mainstream theories
  • wish to maintain status quo within particular scientific fields
  • be especially critical of research that contradicts their own - more favourable to that which matches it
  • established scientists - more likely to be chosen as reviewers
  • so likely findings that agree with current opinion are more likely to be passed than new and innovative research that challenges the established order
  • may have effect of slowing down the rate of change - refute validity of new research
• one wider concern of psychology is what the implications of research are for the economy
• implications = whether the findings of psychological research are beneficial or devalue the economic prosperity
• Bowlby claimed that a child can only ever form a secure and lasting mono tropic bond with their mother - childcare is mothers responsibility / father provides income
• research into attachment theory has led to findings that a child can form multiple attachments
• as a child can form multiple attachments :

  • father is equally valuable in the child’s upbringing as the mother
  • both parents are equally capable of providing emotional support
• Economy Benefits - multiple attachments :

  • Responsibility can be shared
  • both parent can work
  • opens up more jobs for nurseries
  • maximises household income + national economy
  • positive multiplier effect
• Implications on economy :

  • attachments research
  • development of treatments for mental illness
• treatement for mental illness - economy :

  • a third of absences caused by mild to moderate mental health disorders - depressions, anxiety, stress
  • research into treatment - plays important role in supporting a healthy workforce
  • treatment of mental disorders - able to have their conditions diagnosed quickly - gain quick access to treatment
  • could involve referrals to GPs
  • sufferers can manage their conditions effectively and return to work - maximise income