Forensic psychology covers a very broad body of knowledge and has many branches. Forensic psychology professionals often choose an area of interest, such as criminal forensic psychology or custody Assessments, and specialize in that area in their clinical practice. Research is relevant to forensic psychology for a variety of reasons. As a forensic psychology professional, you will need to know what the research literature says about your area of practice in order to effectively conduct your work. For example, you may need to administer psychological tests or conduct other Assessments, and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of these tests or Assessment tools will inform your practice. Different types of research and research approaches are presented in this week’s Learning Resources. And, while you may not ever conduct research as a forensic psychology professional, it is important for you to be able to critically review such research and understand its impact on your practice.
Review the DVD presentation “Introduction to Psychological Research,” which was shown this week. Consider the importance and benefits of study in the field of forensic psychology.
Read Chapter 1 of your course material, Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences, to refresh your memory. Pay close attention to the motives for undertaking research as well as the ways in which research is applied.
Examine the potential applications of basic and applied research, as well as research designs, in forensic psychology research.
Consider the three most common research designs for researching behaviour (e.g., descriptive, correlational, and experimental) and how they differ.
As you consider each study strategy in relation to forensic psychology research, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each
To prepare for this Discussion:
· Review this week’s DVD program, “Introduction to Psychological Research.” Think about the role and benefits of research within forensic psychology.
· Review Chapter 1 in your course text, Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences. Pay particular attention to reasons for conducting research and how research is applied.
· Think about how basic and applied research, as well as research designs, could be used in forensic psychology research.
· Consider the three basic research designs (e.g., descriptive, correlational, and experimental) for studying behavior.
· Think about the strengths and weaknesses of each research design as it relates to forensic psychology research.
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