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Based on the provided case context, diagnose which of Sarah's questions is non-empirical. Justify your decision by explaining why this specific question cannot be investigated using scientific methods, and contrast it with why the other question is empirical.
Case context: A student researcher named Sarah is drafting a research proposal on the topic of criminal behavior. She writes down two potential research questions for her study: Question A: 'Does criminal behavior have a genetic basis that can be identified through DNA analysis?' Question B: 'What actions ought to be considered illegal and outlawed by the justice system?'
Question: Based on the provided case context, diagnose which of Sarah's questions is non-empirical. Justify your decision by explaining why this specific question cannot be investigated using scientific methods, and contrast it with why the other question is empirical.
Sample answer: Question B ('What actions ought to be considered illegal and outlawed by the justice system?') is the non-empirical question. It is non-empirical because it focuses on a moral and legal value judgment of how society ought to be structured, rather than describing objective reality. Because this is a subjective policy and ethical question, it falls outside the realm of observable empirical testing. In contrast, Question A is empirical because it asks about the genetic basis of behavior, which concerns objective reality and can be scientifically investigated and tested through DNA analysis and observable genetic data.
Key points:
- Identifies Question B as the non-empirical question.
- Explains that deciding what ought to be illegal is a subjective value/moral judgment.
- Explains that moral judgments focus on how society should be and cannot be empirically tested.
- Contrasts Question B with Question A, which investigates objective genetic data and observable behavior.
Rubric: The response must correctly identify Question B as the non-empirical question and Question A as the empirical question. The justification for Question B must explain that deciding what actions 'ought' to be outlawed is a value/moral judgment about how society should be, which cannot be observed or measured scientifically. The contrast with Question A must note that genetics and behavior are objective, observable phenomena that can be tested empirically.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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