There’s More (to Research Methods) Than Meets the Eye

“Research shows that by doing this, you’ll look and feel more beautiful, improve your health and happiness, and live longer.” Such fallacious conclusions are becoming pervasive. As technology increases our capacity for connectivity and access to information – such as through social media – an abundance of false science claims has arisen. The messages target an unprecedented number of information consumers. Psychological research findings can play a positive role in human flourishing, and provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities to navigate our mental, social, and physical worlds. Unchecked and not vetted, the same results can have disastrous consequences. The purpose of this presentation was to present an argument for the strategic positioning of the introduction to psychology research methods (PRM) course within the liberal arts curriculum