Introduction: Psychology in Action
Have you ever wondered why you're studying psychology? It’s not just about memorizing facts or looking at old experiments; it’s about understanding how humans work so we can make life better! This chapter explores the issue of Application of psychology to everyday life. This is one of the key "Issues and Debates" you need to know for your AS Level exam.
When we talk about "application," we are asking one simple question: Is this research useful? Can a teacher, a doctor, a police officer, or a parent take what we learned in a study and use it to solve a real-world problem?
What Does "Application" Actually Mean?
In the context of the Cambridge 9990 syllabus, application refers to the ways in which theoretical psychological findings can be implemented in practical, real-world situations. Research is considered "useful" if it:
1. Improves lives: Does it help people feel happier or healthier?
2. Solves problems: Does it help reduce crime, improve education, or make workplaces safer?
3. Informs policy: Does it help governments or organizations make better rules?
The "Usefulness" Checklist
Don't worry if you find it hard to see the "usefulness" of a study at first. To help you evaluate whether a piece of research has good application, ask yourself these three questions:
1. Does the study have ecological validity?
If a study was done in a very artificial lab, it might be hard to apply to the "messy" real world. If it was done in a natural setting (like Piliavin et al.’s subway study), the application is often clearer.
2. Is the sample representative?
If a study only used 10 people from one specific town, can we really apply the findings to everyone in the world? (This is the issue of generalisability).
3. Are there ethical "costs"?
Sometimes, to get useful information, researchers have to push ethical boundaries (like Milgram’s study on obedience). We have to decide if the "usefulness" of the results is worth the "cost" to the participants.
Applying the Core Studies to Everyday Life
The best way to score high marks in Paper 1 is to link this debate directly to the 12 core studies. Here are some examples of how you can do that:
1. Improving Eyewitness Accuracy (Cognitive Approach)
In Pozzulo et al. (line-ups), researchers looked at how children and adults identify faces in line-ups. This is extremely useful for the legal system. It tells police that children are more likely to make a "false positive" (picking someone even if the criminal isn't there) because they feel pressured to choose. Application: Police should tell children it's okay to say "none of them" when looking at a line-up.
2. Helping People Overcome Phobias (Learning Approach)
The study by Saavedra and Silverman (button phobia) showed how "evaluative learning" can cause a phobia and how imagery exposure can treat it. Application: Therapists can use these techniques to help other children overcome specific, unusual phobias.
3. Encouraging Obedience or Preventing Blind Obedience (Social Approach)
Milgram (obedience) showed that people are likely to follow orders from an authority figure, even if they are harming someone else. Application: This helps us understand why people might follow "bad" orders in the military or workplaces, allowing us to create training to prevent "blind obedience."
4. Improving Health through Mindfulness (Biological Approach)
Hölzel et al. (mindfulness) used brain scans to show that an 8-week mindfulness course can actually change the structure of the brain. Application: Doctors and psychologists can recommend mindfulness as a proven way to reduce stress and improve mental health.
5. Using Animals for Human Training (Learning Approach)
Fagen et al. (elephant learning) showed that positive reinforcement (giving treats) can be used to train elephants to cooperate with medical procedures. Application: This is useful for zookeepers and vets to keep animals healthy without causing them stress or using physical punishment.
Evaluating the Debate: Strengths and Weaknesses
In your exam, you might be asked to evaluate the issue of "application to everyday life." Here is a quick guide:
Strengths of High Application
- Value for money: Research is expensive. If it helps people in the real world, the money and time were well-spent.
- Positive Change: Psychology can be used to improve the quality of life, such as helping people with autism (Baron-Cohen et al.) or improving concentration (Andrade's doodling study).
Weaknesses/Challenges of Application
- Reductionism: Sometimes a study is so focused on one small thing (like Dement and Kleitman looking only at eye movements in sleep) that it ignores the complex "big picture" of real life.
- Laboratory Bias: If a study is conducted in a lab (like Bandura’s aggression study), the behavior might not be "natural." Applying those results to real-life aggression might be risky because real life has more consequences than a playroom.
Quick Review: Key Takeaways
- Application is about the usefulness of psychological research.
- Research is useful if it solves real problems or improves people's lives.
- When evaluating, think about ecological validity and generalisability.
- Always use examples from the 12 Core Studies to back up your points!
Note: To see how this debate compares to other issues, check out the chapters on "Individual and situational explanations" or "Nature versus nurture."
Memory Aid: The "U-S-E" Mnemonic
To remember how to evaluate application, think U-S-E:
U - Useful? (What is the practical benefit?)
S - Settings? (Was the study in a real-world setting or a lab?)
E - Everyone? (Can the findings be applied to everyone, or just a small group?)
Common Student Mistake to Avoid
Don't just say a study is "interesting"! In the exam, "interesting" doesn't get marks. You must explain who can use the information and how they can use it. Instead of "Milgram's study is interesting for the police," say "Milgram's study is useful for the police because it helps them understand the social pressure involved in chain-of-command situations."