Appraisal of Research Depends Upon its Conceptualization

Smedslund and Ross (2014) have offered us an interesting opinion article concerning the usefulness of empirical research for psychological practice. Appraisal of research is obviously contingent upon the way it is conceptualized and although the authors are involved with rather different kinds of practical problems they nevertheless conceptualize research in exactly the same way. This entails a possible mismatch between questions asked and methods used to answer them. I will try to add to the discussion by examining more closely how the authors conceptualize research and discuss the problems of mismatch between questions, methods, methodology, and epistemology. I claim that the authors’ view of research misses some important aspects of scientific reasoning and follows an unjustified epistemological position. Part of the arising controversy is a rather natural consequence of this but could be overcome by reconsidering the aims of science and getting epistemology, methodology and questions in line. Although I focus on the specific article and the authors’ positions, I hold that the issues discussed are common and general.     

Dominant structure of word meanings moderates ageing-related decline in visual figure discrimination

This is a follow-up study to Tammik and Toomela [(2013). Relationships between visual figure discrimination, verbal abilities, and gender. Perception, 42, 971984] which established a correlational relationship between the propensity to use scientific as opposed to everyday concepts (as distinguished by L. Vygotsky) and visual figure discrimination. The purpose of the current study was to test a further prediction derived from Vygotskys theory in the context of ageing postponed start but faster rate of cognitive decline for scientific conceptual thinkers which is characteristic of cognitive reserve [Stern, Y.(2009). Cognitive reserve. Neuropsychologia, 47, 20152028]. The emergence of such a pattern with age was investigated by extending the original sample of 428 participants up to age 70 with additional 119 participants older than 70 years. The hypothesis was tested with piecewise (segmented) and local polynomial (loess) regression models and was confirmed.