4 as a Psychology student what are the benefits of participating in psychological research
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In order to justify the use of participants in a research study, the IRB will look at the potential benefit of the study and weigh it against the risk in the study. The benefit of a study can be to the participant in the study and/or the
general community (which is described in the study’s protocol). Therapeutic studies, such as behavioral interventions, are conducted with the intent to study alternative procedures for patient or client care. For a therapeutic study to be justified the study procedures must offer care that is consistent with other therapeutic options, there are multiple options for treatment none of which are clearly preferred, and the risks are reasonable
in relation to the potential benefit to participants. For example, a psychologist may want to enroll a client in a study that he is conducting to evaluate an alternative approach to anorexia. The treatment options for anorexia vary and the alternative approach to be studied offers similar potential benefits to other accepted approaches; thus the study can claim to offer therapeutic benefits to a participant. In a non-clinical setting, an educator may want to enroll students in
a study to evaluate the benefit of a new teaching approach to learning the alphabet. The accepted methods for teaching the alphabet vary and the new approach offers similar potential benefits to other accepted approaches; thus the study can claim to offer benefits to a participant. There are two downsides to therapeutic studies. If the participant does not benefit from the new approach, sometimes it can cause a reversal in their situation or have a negative impact on their
progress. In the anorexia example, the patient may not recover or could regress in their disease; in the education example, the student may not learn the alphabet or struggle with the learning process. The researcher should provide options for the participant to receive the normal standard of care if such a result is possible. The second downside is that often these studies use placebo controls in order to test the validity of the study’s claim. In those cases, the
participant does not receive care or is led to believe they are receiving care but in fact receives no care. The Board generally requires that you notify participants in the consent form that there will be a control group who will not receive the treatment. Often the Board will ask that if a participant participates in a control group, the participant will have the option to receive the experimental care if the benefit of the care proves to be valid. Participants may need to be
debriefed after the study to learn that they were part of the control group. In some cases, lack of treatment may be unethical (for example, failing to treat the anorexic person or failing to teach a child the alphabet) and the Board will require that the control group receive at least the normal standard of care. Non-therapeutic studies seek to answer a scientific question without providing any treatment or direct benefit to a
participant. In order for a non-therapeutic study to be approved, the risks in the study must be minimized according to sound scientific design and the risks are reasonable in relation to the knowledge gained by the study. Although the participant may not directly benefit from the study, the study may provide valuable information for a community or the general population. As the level of risk increases in a study, so does the standard of scrutiny that the Board must apply.
For example, a study conducted by an inexperienced researcher with a mediocre design will not receive the same level of scrutiny if it is a minimal risk study versus a study with greater than minimal risk. The Board does not comment on scientific merit unless the lack of scientific merit is a risk to participants. This is more often a concern with student researchers; please see the Guide for Student Researchers and Faculty Advisors for more information. Please note that the Board does not consider payment to be a benefit. Payments are used to encourage participation and should not be advertised as a benefit to participating in the study. Please see Payment for more information. Can studying psychology help you in everyday life? Absolutely. Here are 8 nice ways that learning psychology benefits you personally. We surveyed psychology graduates to find out the lifelong advantages from studying the subject at university. These top 8 benefits were identified. They can all help you in ordinary day-to-day life. And they can help you throughout your career – even if you don’t become a professional psychologist. 1. People SkillsStudying psychology, even in the online mode, gives you an edge when it comes to interactions with friends, family, co-workers, employers, and even in romantic relationships. You’re more likely to achieve harmony and mutual satisfaction. Academic courses introduce important concepts and tools. You’ll soon find yourself putting the pieces together to better manage your own interpersonal interactions. Positive relationships are key to happiness, balance, and an overall better quality of life. Remember, the field of psychology is dedicated to understanding and explaining human behavior – why we think, feel, and behave the way we do – and how life circumstances affect people. Delving into the motivations and intentions of others helps you build interpersonal skills. You do better when interacting with people in all kinds of situations. 2. Success Strategies A further advantage is that you develop strategies for personal growth and success. These should be a product of your studies – if you were paying attention and relating your studies to personal life. By learning psychology, you’re able to build a platform for personal growth and development. You naturally become more aware of your own thoughts and beliefs, how you see yourself, and how these cognitions influence your everyday life. You’re therefore better equipped to develop strategies and habits that lead you towards greater life success. Consider someone who made a poor investment decision because they read a promotional article highlighting the potential gains while glossing over the downsides. That’s an example of the psychological effect of framing bias; being influenced by the way information is presented rather than focusing on substance. To succeed with your investments and other financial decisions, you shouldn’t do anything without exploring both the risks and the possible payoffs using neutral sources. Good investors must be capable of being objective and doing dispassionate research. 3. Personal TherapyYou might get over your terrible fear of clowns or spiders or something else after doing psychology studies. In fact, by learning about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), you gain a self-help tool to correct all sorts of negative thinking patterns. For example, you could use it to reduce anxiety. CBT is an important therapy technique that you’re introduced to in psychology courses. With some practice, you can learn to apply CBA yourself when needed. Although bachelor-level psychology courses don’t go into depth on the treatment of disorders, you learn some basics about CBT and how it’s applied. We all have negative thoughts from time to time. CBT focuses on replacing negative thoughts and reactions with more positive alternative thoughts and behaviours. CBT teaches that our thought processes shape the way we feel, behave, and even our relationships with others. With time and practice, we can introduce and reinforce positive thoughts and response patterns. They eventually become an entrenched part of our cognitive repertoire. The benefits from improving thought processes can be enormous. It’s been shown that people who interpret their environment in a positive manner lead healthier and more successful lives. 4. Problem-Solving SkillsYour problem-solving skills are improved by studying psychology, meaning you’re better able to manage life circumstances, reach personal goals, and achieve success. Studying psychology trains you to consider problems from different perspectives, which is vital for finding the most effective and beneficial solutions. Psychology teaches you to think about the way you think. This offers a great advantage when confronting life challenges and making decisions. You have a better chance of making choices in a thoughtful, considered manner that overcome any of the unwanted biases and habits that we all have. 5. Conceptual ReasoningIf you want to become a better thinker, studying psychology is a good way to do it. Being exposed to scientific principles in psychology helps you to think, question, and reason like a scientist. Your analytical and reasoning skills will be strengthened. The learning process doesn’t just occur in the classroom. You’ll gradually begin to make observations and apply what you’ve learned in your interactions with others. This allows you to see and experience many of the theories of human behavior in real-world scenarios. 6. Communication SkillsPsychology graduates have good communication skills that can be applied in many situations. For example, you may have an improved sense of how to write a persuasive job application, handle a job interview smoothly or effectively introduce yourself to a new group of people. Better communication skills happen for two main reasons. One is that you get the opportunity to develop your writing and presentation skills through the course. Secondly, thinking like a psychologist helps you pitch your communications to get the kinds of responses you want. Graduates are often employed in marketing roles because of their ability to reach and influence an audience. 7. Behavioural Training SkillsLearning psychology also offers an advantage as a behavioural trainer, whether you want to train your dog, child, spouse or even yourself. Students come to understand how people and animals can learn (and unlearn) behaviors, including how fears are developed (or extinguished). These things happen through the processes of conditioning and/or reinforcement. Studying psychology helps you understand why people run away when they see an insect, why our heart begins to race if we hear a loud noise, or why some people are afraid of flying or heights. At university or college, you’ll likely have at least one or two courses that introduce you to classical and operant conditioning. These are the two main processes that contribute to learning. 8. Memorisation TechniquesA further benefit of psychology, which may be handy when studying for an exam or work presentation, is knowing memorisation techniques. Psychology courses teach students the process of acquiring and using memory, as well as techniques to enhance memory abilities. In a degree program, you’ll likely have at least one unit where you learn the neurological bases of memory, and ways to consolidate and retrieve memory. What are the benefits of participating in psychological research?You can gain knowledge of the strengths and limitations of research methods. Being tested on offers insight into your thoughts as a participant. This means you may be more able to anticipate what participants will be thinking when running your own experiments.
Why research is important to the psychology student?Research helps us understand what makes people think, feel, and act in certain ways; allows us to categorize psychological disorders in order to understand the symptoms and impact on the individual and society; helps us to understand how intimate relationships, development, schools, family, peers, and religion affect ...
Why are college students often used as participants in psychological research?Answer and Explanation:
To recruit college students, it takes the researcher very little time and advertising costs because the study can be advertised at the place of work. This way, they do not have to spend money to distribute the information elsewhere.
What are the potential benefits to participants in a study?Direct benefits that may result from participation (e.g., psychological or emotional benefits, learning benefits, physical benefits, diagnostic or therapeutic benefits, etc.). If there are no direct benefits to participants, clearly state this. Benefits to the general participant population.
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