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Explain why this study is classified as basic research rather than applied research. In your explanation, show your comprehension of basic research by explaining how expanding foundational knowledge of human behavior is valuable even if it does not solve a specific practical problem like Alzheimer's disease.
Case context: A cognitive psychologist is studying the fundamental mechanisms of how human working memory encodes visual information. They design a series of laboratory experiments to measure the exact capacity limit of the visual sketchpad in healthy young adults. A colleague suggests that this study is not valuable because it does not directly help clinical patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Question: Explain why this study is classified as basic research rather than applied research. In your explanation, show your comprehension of basic research by explaining how expanding foundational knowledge of human behavior is valuable even if it does not solve a specific practical problem like Alzheimer's disease.
Sample answer: This study is classified as basic research because its primary goal is to achieve a more detailed and accurate understanding of a natural phenomenon—specifically, how human working memory encodes visual information. It focuses on expanding foundational knowledge and answering theoretical questions about memory capacity without attempting to solve a specific practical problem, such as treating Alzheimer's disease. Even though it does not directly address a clinical condition, expanding foundational knowledge is valuable because it provides the essential theoretical foundation upon which future applied research can build.
Key points:
- The study's primary purpose is achieving a detailed, accurate understanding of memory mechanisms.
- It focuses on expanding foundational knowledge and theoretical questions about memory capacity.
- It does not attempt to solve a specific practical problem (such as clinical treatments for Alzheimer's).
- Expanding foundational knowledge is valuable as it provides the necessary theoretical framework for future applied research.
Rubric: The response must identify that the study's primary purpose is to understand a natural phenomenon (working memory) rather than solve a practical problem (treating Alzheimer's). It must show comprehension of basic research by explaining that expanding foundational knowledge is valuable because it builds the theoretical groundwork necessary for future applications.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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