Peer Review And Psychological Research And The Economy

Question 1

Peer review

Answer 1

Findings are published, before finding are published it must be subject to peer review. All aspects of the written investigation being scrutinised by a small group of experts in the same field. Should conduct an objective review and be unknown to the author or researcher.

Question 2

Aims of peer review

Answer 2

1. To allocate research funding. Independent peer evaluation also takes place to decide whether or not to award funding for a proposed research project. This may be co-ordinated by government-run funding organisations such as the Medical Research Council, who have a vested interest in establishing which research projects are most worthwhile.
2. To validate the quality and relevance of research. All elements of research are assessed for quality and accuracy: the formulation of hypotheses, the methodology chosen, the statistical tests used and the conclusions drawn.
3. To suggest amendments or improvements. Reviewers may suggest minor revisions of the work and thereby improve the report. In extreme circumstances, they may conclude that the work is inappropriate for publication and should be withdrawn.

Question 3

Eval of peer review-anonymity

Answer 3

It is usual practice that the ‘peer’ doing the reviewing remains anonymous throughout the process as this is likely to produce a more honest appraisal. However, a minority of reviewers may use their anonymity as a way of criticising rival researchers who they perceive as having crossed them in the past! This is made all the more likely by the fact that many researchers are in direct competition for limited research funding. For this reason, some journals favour a system of open reviewing whereby the names of the reviewers) are made public.

Question 4

Eval of peer review-publication bias

Answer 4

It is a natural tendency for editors of journals to want to publish significant ‘headline-grabbing’ findings to increase the credibility and circulation of their publication. They also prefer to publish positive results.
This could mean that research which does not meet these criteria is ignored or disregarded. Ultimately, this creates a false impression of the current state of psychology if journal editors are being selective in what they publish.

Question 5

Eval of peer review-burying groundbreaking research

Answer 5

The peer review process may suppress opposition to mainstream theories, wishing to maintain the status quo within particular scientific fields. Reviewers tend to be especially critical of research that contradicts their own view and much more favourable to that which matches it.
Established scientists are the ones more likely to be chosen as reviewers, particularly by prestigious journals and publishers. As a result, findings that chime with current opinion are more likely to be passed than new and innovative research that challenges the established order.
particular scientific discipline.
Thus, peer review may have the effect of slowing down the rate of change within a particular scientific discipline.

Question 6

Implication of psychological research for the economy

Answer 6

One of the wider concerns for psychology, as well as science in general, is what the implications of research are for the economy. By ‘implications’ we mean - how does what we learn from the findings of psychological research influence, affect, benefit or devalue our financial prosperity?
We will revisit two examples of research discussed elsewhere in this book, the findings of which have implications for the nation’s financial well-being.

Question 7

Attachment research into the role of the father

Answer 7

Attachment research has come a considerable way since John Bowlby first asserted that a child can only ever form a secure and lasting monotropic bond with its mother. Thus, at the time Bowlby was writing, childcare was seen as a mother’s responsibility, and hers alone, whilst the father was free to carry out his ‘natural’ role as provider for the family.
More recent research suggests that the father may fulfil a qualitatively different role from the mother. Crucially, this role is no less valuable in the child’s upbringing.
Psychological research has shown that both parents are equally capable of providing the emotional support necessary for healthy psychological development, and this understanding may promote more flexible working arrangements within the family. tis now the norm in lots of households that the mother is the higher earner and so works longer hours, whilst many couples share childcare responsibilities across the working week. This means that modern parents are better equipped to maximise their income and contribute more effectively to the economy.

Question 8

The development of treatments for mental disorders

Answer 8

Absence from work costs the economy an estimated £15 billion a year. A recent government report revealed that a third of all absences are caused by mild to moderate mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety and stress (The Telegraph 2014).
Psychological research into the causes and treatments of mental disorders therefore has an important role to play in supporting a healthy workforce.
In Chapter 5 we looked at treatment of mental disorders. Patients are able to be assessed quickly and gain swift access to treatment. Many conditions are treated through the use of psychotherapeutic drugs such as SSRIs for depression and OCD (see page 156). Antianxiety drugs are used for stress conditions.
Referrals can also be made by GPs for psychotherapies such as systematic desensitisation (see page 148) or CBT (see page 152). Individuals can also engage in self-treatment using similar methods.
This means that, in many cases, people with mental disorders are able to manage their condition effectively and return to work. Thus, the economic benefit of psychological research into disorders such as depression is considerable.