Psychology has been influenced by many competing theories that have attempted to explain and predict behavior. In the previous unit, you learned about the foundations of these theories. Theories lead

Psychology has been influenced by many competing theories that have attempted to explain and predict behavior. In the previous unit, you learned about the foundations of these theories. Theories lead to hypotheses, which lead to research and observation. Peer-reviewed research has withstood the rigorous evaluation of a board of recognized experts in the field, while being extensively reviewed for ethics by an Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Here is an example of a current peer-reviewed research article that you could find in the Purdue Global Library:

Bailey, T. L., & Brown, A. (2016). Online student services: Current practices and recommendations for implementation. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 44(4), 450–462. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=115184368&site=eds-live

Peer-reviewed research is not easy to understand, but by focusing on the abstract and the introductory section, students can often get the information they need to understand the main point of the research.

• What topic would you like to know more about concerning a behavior that you witness in yourself or others?
• Choose a research method that you think would be best suited to study the behavior and use the scientific method to help you break down the steps of your proposed research.
• Describe what ethical considerations you would need to keep in mind, referencing APA ethical principles.