Contents

CHAPTER 1: Introduction 17and stating there is a causal link between variables. The strongest scientificevidence is akin to the converging evidence needed in a trial to obtain a conviction.Even when researchers have strong evidence for their conclusions fromreplications (repetitions) of an experiment, they are in a similar situation asjuries that have found a person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Researchersand juries both seek the truth, but their conclusions are ultimately probabilistic.Certainty is often beyond the grasp of both jurors and scientists.By learning to think like a researcher, you can develop two important sets ofskills. The first skill will enable you to be a more effective consumer of scientificfindings so that you can make more informed personal and professional decisions.The second skill will enable you to learn how to do research so that youcan contribute to the science of psychology. We will be fleshing out these twoaspects of the scientific method throughout the text, but we briefly outline themin this chapter. We first describe an illustration of why it is important to thinklike a researcher when evaluating research claims made in the media. We thendescribe how researchers get started when they want to gather evidence usingthe scientific method.Evaluating Research Findings Reported in the Media• Not all science reported in the media is “good science.” We must questionwhat we read and hear.• Media reports summarizing original research reports may omit criticalaspects of the method, results, or interpretation of the research.Researchers in psychology report their findings in professional journals thatare available in printed and electronic form. Most people who encounter psychologicalresearch findings, however, do so by learning about research findingsin the media—on the Internet, in newspapers and magazines, and on radioand TV. Much of this research is worthwhile. Psychological research can helppeople in a variety of areas, such as helping people to learn ways to communicatewith a relative with Alzheimer’s, to avoid arguments, or to learn how toforgive. Two serious problems can arise, however, when research is reportedin the media. The first problem is that the research reported in the media isnot always good research. A critical reader needs to sort out the good researchfrom the bad—what are solid findings and which have not yet been confirmed.We must also decide which findings are worth applying in our lives and whichrequire a wait-and-see attitude. It is fair to say that much of the research is notvery good given all the different media in which psychological research is reported.So we have good reason to question the research we read or hear aboutin the media.A second problem that can arise when scientific research is reported in themedia is that “something can be lost in the translation.” Media reports aretypically summaries of the original research, and critical aspects of the method,results, or interpretation of the research may be missing in the media summary.The more you learn about the scientific method, the better your questions willbe for discerning the quality of research reported in the media and for determiningthe critical information that is lacking in the media report. For now, we