explain purpose of descriptibe researchSolutionDescriptive Research- D.docx
- 1. explain purpose of descriptibe research Solution Descriptive Research: Descriptive research , defined as attempts to explore and explain while providing additional information about a topic. This is where research is trying to describe what is happening in more detail, filling in the missing parts and expanding our understanding. This is also where as much information is collected as possible instead of making guesses or elaborate models to predict the future - the 'what' and 'how,' rather than the 'why.' Remember that room you're blind in? Descriptive research is the act of exploring the thing in the dark, creating a fuller picture of what you are looking at. It is not quite as tentative as exploratory, but you still are not 100% sure what you've found, although you're starting to get an idea. You begin to fill in what you know with what you find. A psychological example is the use of CT scans, MRI, fMRI, PET, and SPECT imaging to describe the living brain. We now have the clearest picture in all of history of the thinking, living brain. Just a few decades ago, a person who wanted to look at a living brain had two options: a really blurry CT scan without any detail or to crack open the skull and peel back the protective layers around the brain. Both options are better than a century ago, where you kind of had to wait for someone to die to examine their brain. Research over the last few decades has been expanding our understanding, providing descriptions of the active processes in the brain. One field that is quickly growing is the field of forensic psychology. Over the last few decades, studies exploring the decision making process of police officers, the techniques used to question witnesses and the jury processes are all being examined. There has been an active interest in many researchers to explore the field that the judicial system needs.