A psychologist discovers an important research finding in her laboratory that is seemingly inconsistent with what other researchers have found.Her new results have profound implications to our understanding of human behavior.If the psychologist is critically thinking,she should first:
A)critically evaluate previous research looking for flaws.
B)attempt to replicate her own findings and rule out alternative explanations for her results.
C)consider how general her findings are to people living in other cultures.
D)contact the press and begin publicizing her findings.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The psychologist should attempt to replicate her own findings and rule out alternative explanations for her results before jumping to any conclusions or publicizing her findings. This is an important part of the scientific process and ensures that her findings are reliable and accurate. Critically evaluating previous research and considering how general her findings are to people living in other cultures can also be important steps, but they should come after replicating and verifying her results. Contacting the press and publicizing her findings should only be done after the research has been replicated, verified, and peer-reviewed by other experts in the field.

A Psychologist Discovers an Important Research Finding in Her Laboratory