Descriptive Goal of Science

Predictive Goal of Science

Explanatory Goal of Science

Matching Research Approaches to Scientific Goals

Match each of the three primary goals of scientific research with its corresponding objective.

A psychologist finds a consistent relationship between the amount of sleep students get and their exam scores. According to the primary goals of science, what must the researcher do to move from merely predicting this relationship to explaining it?

A psychologist is investigating the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels. Arrange the following research activities in the order that correctly represents the progression through the three goals of science: Description, Prediction, and Explanation.

A researcher who successfully uses an observed correlation between 'Parental Involvement' and 'Child Literacy' to forecast the reading levels of elementary students has achieved the scientific goal of explanation.

Which primary goal of scientific research is specifically focused on identifying the underlying causal mechanisms of a phenomenon?

If a researcher identifies a systematic relationship between 'social media usage' and 'symptoms of depression' that allows them to forecast which users are at risk, they have successfully achieved the scientific goal of explanation.

When evaluating whether a research finding is sufficient to justify a new clinical intervention, a scientist must judge if the work has moved beyond the goal of prediction to reach the scientific goal of _____, ensuring that the treatment will actually cause the patient's symptoms to improve.