Investigating Psychology Classic Studies Research Essay

Examine and assess the ways in which the untarnished studies discussed in Chapters 2, 4 and 8 of look into Psychology enticed concomitant mental look.Certain psychological studies are termed classics as theyve become renowned for the specify or contri neverthelession that theyve made to servingicular areas of psychology. This essay looks in point in time at such studies, carried kayoed by Milgram, Skinner and Broadbent, with a mess to assessing the value of their influences on subsequent psychological research. This essay aims to demonstrate how these studies substantiate largely been powerful and valu equal to(p) as a result of their strengths, but will also demonstrate that a flunk within the corpse structure of a flying field shadow also be influential. B.F. Skinner is considered to be one of the most influential psychologists of the twentieth century (Brace and Byford, 2012). His work on behavior shaping and speculation of operant conditioning is still influent ial today. Skinner believed that behaviour could be influenced through manipulation such as reinforcement, and controversially believed that thought processes and free will play no part in determining behaviour. To riddle his theories he auditioned with rats and pigeons. He created the Skinner cuff which meant that the animals behaviour could scientifically and objectively be measured. This was an influential and important increment that enabled future studies to be carried out under tight controls. Skinner argued that attainment through reinforcement could be successfully extended to gentlemans (Toates, 2012). succeeding research studies ache been carried out testing the sustained influence of Skinners theory of reinforcement, and supporting its validity and value. Studies by Swinson and Harrop, 2005 (cited in Toates, 2012) support that challenging behaviour in the classroom can be reduced using imperious reinforcement. E.g. a child receives praise for desired behaviours, ra ther than receiving attention for unsuitable behaviour. in that respectfore Skinners classical study has had a validatory influence in relation to behaviour in education. Furthermore there is separate from therapeutic settings (Flora 2004), (cited in Toates, 2012) including mental hospitals, showing that children and adults feed been successfully modified for psychological issues such as self-harming, using therapies derived from Skinners studies. These techniques of reinforcement are being employ today in legion(predicate) hospitals, schools and prisons. (Toates, 2012).However, scenerys of Skinners theory of behaviourism, displayed weaknesses and as such is not favoured in psychology today. Most psychologists retain the view that free will is instrumental to behaviour and how we learn, believing that our ability to make choices is influenced by factors other than operant conditioning alone. This was a view rejected by Skinner (Toates, 2012). This aspect of behaviour ism has had little influence on subsequent research other than to refute it. Nevertheless Skinners work on operant conditioning system influential, and is recitationd by numerous professionals ( ruddy, 2013).Furthermore, the work of David Broadbent has been greatly influential and valuable, the evidence of which elapses to be seen in research today. Broadbents work has contributed to our understanding of attention. He invented the modern study of attention, introducing and making popular the information-processing come which launched the cognitive revolution. This approach was the first testable model of attention and Broadbent was keen that others carried out experiments to test it (Edgar and Edgar 2012). He believed that psychological theory should come from considering practical problems, and with this approach he bridged the feast between the laboratory and the real-world (Berry, 2002, p.403). Broadbents model displayed that we have limited aptitude to how much informatio n we can process at one time, and as such this affects our abilities to multi-task etc. (Edgar and Edgar, 2012). This has implications on everyday tasks such as driving.This proved extremely valuable information with regards to researching cognitive abilities in humans, and is still used in cognitive psychology today. Colin Cherry was a contemporary of Broadbents, whose research extended that of Broadbents to explore the role of meaning in attention. Cherrys (1953) findings showed that meaning does play a role in information-processing and as a consequence Broadbents reliable model needed to be modified in a way that recognised memory, experience and expectations can influence attention. These findings generated refinements to the model, raised further specific questions and generated hypothesis which have been, and continue to be tested by carefully designed experiments. This process is know as the Cycle of Enquiry. Broadbents research regarding attention and multi-tasking influe nced Ivan chocolate-brown et al. (1960), (cited in Edgar and Edgar, 2012) to conduct studies into the effects on driving whilst using a mobile phone.This study is an excellent example and evidence of hypothesis testing. There were certain elements applied to the experiment to ensure a valid test of the hypothesis Performance or dependent variables were measured by belt along/accuracy the two conditions were driving without using a phone, and driving the like route whilst answering questions using a phone. The conditions arose from manipulating the independent variable the use of a phone or not. Other variables were controlled to ensure that the only influence on the result of the study was the variable being measured. The finding of the experiment supported Broadbents views regarding attention and multi-tasking. The value that the cycle of enquiry adds to subsequent psychological research is immeasurable, as it ensures research is constantly open to re-evaluation. over time and with the advent of technology, research performed by Broadbent has influenced studies using fMRI which have been able to see how attention is depicted in brain activity. Findings were consistent with Broadbents theory of limited capacity (Sabine Kastner et. al. (1998) cited in Edgar and Edgar 2012). Broadbents organized approach to experimental research and theory development were the origins of subsequent psychological research.As such he was instrumental in the development of cognitive psychology. (Edgar and Edgar 2012). Equally influential on psychological research is Milgrams studies into loyalty from authorities (1961), which was provoked by the atrocities of the Second World War. The studies investigated whether volunteers would administer potential drop lethal electrical shocks to another human because they were told to by an authoritative control. The findings were alarming in that most people were willing to administer the shocks on the instruction of someone in a uthority. It was these findings that provoked much debate and influenced attempts at replications of the schoolmaster study. Weaknesses of the study included it being conducted in a adept geographical area, using same gender participants, and not being carried out in a real-world environment. In order to address the issue of gender, Milgram himself replicated his study using only females, with the results showing that women were just as likely as men to give the shocks (Banyard, 2012). With regards to culture and geography, Milgrams study was replicated in many countries and the results were analysed by Peter Smith and Michael Bond (1993), (cited in Banyard, 2012). The findings were that varying degrees of respectfulness were displayed by different cultures.To test the theory in a real-world environment, a replication was carried out in a work environment by Charles Hofling et.al. (1996), (cited in Banyard, 2012) to see if nurses would give patients an overdose of a drug on t he instruction of a telephone call from a Doctor. The drugs were dummies and the Doctor a fake. The request broke hospital protocol but alarmingly a very high percentage of nurses followed the Doctors instruction. However, its not just the findings regarding human behaviour that have been greatly influential, but a large weakness of the study has been equally so. The first code of moral philosophy, The Nuremberg Code, was devised in 1946 as a response to the atrocities carried out during the Second World War. Many people disapproved of Milgrams obedience studies as they mat that it was ethically wrong. One such psychologist was Diana Baumrind who felt Milgram had broken certain aspects of the code of ethics (Banyard, 2012). She believed that the participants hadnt been treated in good order as their welfare had been compromised due to the extreme stress they had encountered they werent able to give informed consent the emotional cost to the participants wasnt value the benefit o f the study, and participants werent able to exercise their right to withdraw.Furthermore, she argued that Milgram had harmed the public take in of psychology. The value of this to subsequent research is that the obedience study demonstrated wherefore ethics is so important in psychology, and highlighted the need for strict guidelines in research (Banyard, 2012). These very concerns regarding ethics would make it difficult to replicate the original study today. However, the development of technology has enabled replications of the study to be carried out in a virtual environment (Mel Slater et.al 2006, cited in Banyard 2012). The findings were similar to that of the original study. However you measure Milgrams impact, whether its in terms of obedience, ethics or human behaviour, he remains one of the most influential Social Psychologists of our time. (Banyard, 2012).To conclude, having looked in detail at the classic studies, the evidence supplied clearly demonstrates that theyve had a significant and valuable influence on subsequent psychological research. The influence that theyve had and the high value to research are evident end-to-end history. However, it is also important to note that these studies do also display weaknesses there are elements which have been challenged, offer no value, and have had no significant influence on subsequent research. This is however, over shadowed by the body of evidence presented that outline the many ways in which the classical studies have influenced subsequent psychological research and continue to do so. (1553 words).ReferencesBanyard, P. (2012) Just future(a) Orders? in Brace, N. and Byford, J. (eds) Investigating Psychology, Oxford, Oxford University press/Milton Keynes, The dissonant University. Berry, D. (2012) The Psychologist, vol.15, no.8 22 August Online. procurable at www.thepsychologist.org.uk/archive/archive_home.cfm/volumeID_15-edition_83-ArticleID_437-getfile-getPDF/thepsychologist/aug02berry.pd f) (Accessed 14 August 2013) Brace, N. and Byford, J. (eds) Investigating Psychology, Oxford, Oxford University press/Milton Keynes, The Open University. Cherry, K. (2013) http//psychology.about.com/od/profileofmajorthinkers/p/bio_skinner.htm (Accessed 14 August 2013) Edgar, H. and Edgar, G. (2012) Paying Attention in Brace, N. and Byford, J. (eds) Investigating Psychology, Oxford, Oxford University press/Milton Keynes, The Open University. Toates, F. (2012. Changing Behaviour in Brace, N. and Byford, J. (eds) Investigating Psychology, Oxford, Oxford University press/Milton Keynes, The Open University.