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1 - The Romance of Research Methods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 December 2024

By
Mahzarin R. Banaji
Edited by
Harry T. Reis ,
Tessa West  and
Charles M. Judd
Harry T. Reis
Affiliation:
University of Rochester, New York
Tessa West
Affiliation:
New York University
Charles M. Judd
Affiliation:
University of Colorado Boulder
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Summary

This introductory chapter was invited to serve the role of inspiring young people in social and personality psychology about research methods. I wrote it in a personal voice, telling stories and offering opinions about (a) the joy of doing research, (b) the challenges of doing research on “concepts” rather than visible things like cells and atoms, and (c) the importance of methods alongside theory – specifically an argument against the “theory-first” and “theory-as-all-important” view.

Keywords

philosophy of research methodshistory of research methodsmeasurement in social and personality psychologyimportance of research methodsadvice to graduate studentspersonal essay on research methods
Type
Chapter
Information
Handbook of Research Methods in Social and Personality Psychology , pp. 4 - 14
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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