Lainie Friedman Ross
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199273287
- eISBN:
- 9780191603655
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199273286.003.0010
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
This chapter examines the arguments for and against conducting biomedical and behavioral research in schools; whether additional human subject protections are necessary; and whose consent is ...
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This chapter examines the arguments for and against conducting biomedical and behavioral research in schools; whether additional human subject protections are necessary; and whose consent is necessary and how it should be procured. It is argued that while schools are a tempting venue to do biomedical and behavioral research, parents, students, teachers, school officials, researchers, and institutional review boards need to be sensitive to the unique problems that such research may raise. Schools should have written policies that address the need to protect human subjects when research is done in the school setting. Minimum guidelines for schools are presented.Less
This chapter examines the arguments for and against conducting biomedical and behavioral research in schools; whether additional human subject protections are necessary; and whose consent is necessary and how it should be procured. It is argued that while schools are a tempting venue to do biomedical and behavioral research, parents, students, teachers, school officials, researchers, and institutional review boards need to be sensitive to the unique problems that such research may raise. Schools should have written policies that address the need to protect human subjects when research is done in the school setting. Minimum guidelines for schools are presented.
Nikolas Rose and Joelle M. Abi-Rached
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691149608
- eISBN:
- 9781400846337
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691149608.003.0004
- Subject:
- Neuroscience, Development
This chapter discusses the use of animals to explore issues relating to human cognition, emotion, volition, and their pathologies. Researchers who use animal models in their work point to ...
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This chapter discusses the use of animals to explore issues relating to human cognition, emotion, volition, and their pathologies. Researchers who use animal models in their work point to similarities in the genomes of the two species, in the structure of mouse and human brain, in patterns of brain activation, in neural mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level, in responses to drugs and so forth, perhaps with reference to evolution and the principle of conservation across species when it comes to the most basic aspects of living organisms, including their brains. The chapter then examines four interconnected themes: the question of the artificiality of the laboratory situation within which animal experiments are conducted; the idea of a model in behavioral and psychiatric research; the specificity of the human and the elision of history and human sociality; and the problem of translation.Less
This chapter discusses the use of animals to explore issues relating to human cognition, emotion, volition, and their pathologies. Researchers who use animal models in their work point to similarities in the genomes of the two species, in the structure of mouse and human brain, in patterns of brain activation, in neural mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level, in responses to drugs and so forth, perhaps with reference to evolution and the principle of conservation across species when it comes to the most basic aspects of living organisms, including their brains. The chapter then examines four interconnected themes: the question of the artificiality of the laboratory situation within which animal experiments are conducted; the idea of a model in behavioral and psychiatric research; the specificity of the human and the elision of history and human sociality; and the problem of translation.
D.H. Kaye
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195340525
- eISBN:
- 9780199867219
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340525.003.0011
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This chapter surveys state and federal database legislation. It shows that previous studies have overlooked or understated the restrictions on medical or behavioral genetics research with convicted ...
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This chapter surveys state and federal database legislation. It shows that previous studies have overlooked or understated the restrictions on medical or behavioral genetics research with convicted offender samples. It identifies and assesses some of the bioethical and social arguments against allowing such research. These include concerns about the possible misuse of or misunderstandings about the fruits of the research and the lack of consent on the part of the “donors” of DNA samples. This issue also raises the related policy issue of whether the DNA samples should be retained at all—as well as the research value of DNA databases and repositories. It argues that an absolute prohibition on behavioral genetics research is not necessary. Instead, it proposes that if the samples are to be retained (as they currently are), then an independent body with appropriate expertise should evaluate proposals for research projects on a case-by-case basis.Less
This chapter surveys state and federal database legislation. It shows that previous studies have overlooked or understated the restrictions on medical or behavioral genetics research with convicted offender samples. It identifies and assesses some of the bioethical and social arguments against allowing such research. These include concerns about the possible misuse of or misunderstandings about the fruits of the research and the lack of consent on the part of the “donors” of DNA samples. This issue also raises the related policy issue of whether the DNA samples should be retained at all—as well as the research value of DNA databases and repositories. It argues that an absolute prohibition on behavioral genetics research is not necessary. Instead, it proposes that if the samples are to be retained (as they currently are), then an independent body with appropriate expertise should evaluate proposals for research projects on a case-by-case basis.
Robert Rosenthal and Ralph L. Rosnow
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195385540
- eISBN:
- 9780199869824
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195385540.003.0034
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This chapter gives some empirically-based conclusions about the characteristics of the subject who volunteers for participation in behavioral research, including gender, birth order, sociability, ...
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This chapter gives some empirically-based conclusions about the characteristics of the subject who volunteers for participation in behavioral research, including gender, birth order, sociability, extraversion versus introversion, approval need, and so on.Less
This chapter gives some empirically-based conclusions about the characteristics of the subject who volunteers for participation in behavioral research, including gender, birth order, sociability, extraversion versus introversion, approval need, and so on.
Karen Rothenberg and Alice Wang
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195340525
- eISBN:
- 9780199867219
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340525.003.0013
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This chapter contains six parts. Part I summarizes the Genes on Trial program and introduces the issues raised by it. Part II explains why behavioral genetics research tends to focus on discrete and ...
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This chapter contains six parts. Part I summarizes the Genes on Trial program and introduces the issues raised by it. Part II explains why behavioral genetics research tends to focus on discrete and insular populations that overlap with socially constructed racial or ethnic groups. Part III locates behavioral genetics research on a spectrum spanning from single-gene disorders to complex behavioral traits, positing that the behavioral end of the spectrum carries the most potential for stigma. Part IV explores how the blame-shifting mechanisms of genetic reductionism and genetic determinism affect the individual, family, community, and society when genetics research focuses on criminal or antisocial behavior. Part V analyzes how racial and ethnic stigma arise from behavioral genetics research and perpetuate inequality. Part VI concludes by considering the ethical dilemmas that geneticists face when choosing who and what to study.Less
This chapter contains six parts. Part I summarizes the Genes on Trial program and introduces the issues raised by it. Part II explains why behavioral genetics research tends to focus on discrete and insular populations that overlap with socially constructed racial or ethnic groups. Part III locates behavioral genetics research on a spectrum spanning from single-gene disorders to complex behavioral traits, positing that the behavioral end of the spectrum carries the most potential for stigma. Part IV explores how the blame-shifting mechanisms of genetic reductionism and genetic determinism affect the individual, family, community, and society when genetics research focuses on criminal or antisocial behavior. Part V analyzes how racial and ethnic stigma arise from behavioral genetics research and perpetuate inequality. Part VI concludes by considering the ethical dilemmas that geneticists face when choosing who and what to study.
Judith M. Stephenson, John Imrie, and Chris Bonell (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780198508496
- eISBN:
- 9780191723797
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198508496.001.0001
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
The growing importance of the evidence-based movement has made experimental evaluation a key issue among researchers, practitioners, commissioners, and policy makers. However, experimental evaluation ...
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The growing importance of the evidence-based movement has made experimental evaluation a key issue among researchers, practitioners, commissioners, and policy makers. However, experimental evaluation remains controversial in the sexual health field. This partly reflects the diversity of groups involved in this area and their different views on the most appropriate research methods. This book provides an analysis of the methodological and practical issues involved in evaluating sexual health interventions. This book contains discussion of specific issues in trial design, and also discusses the potential of experimentation and its appropriateness or feasibility. It is concerned with methodology rather than the substantive findings of research, and considers the requirements of research in both developed and developing countries. The focus of the book is on sexual health interventions, although many of the issues are equally applicable to other areas of behavioural and social research.Less
The growing importance of the evidence-based movement has made experimental evaluation a key issue among researchers, practitioners, commissioners, and policy makers. However, experimental evaluation remains controversial in the sexual health field. This partly reflects the diversity of groups involved in this area and their different views on the most appropriate research methods. This book provides an analysis of the methodological and practical issues involved in evaluating sexual health interventions. This book contains discussion of specific issues in trial design, and also discusses the potential of experimentation and its appropriateness or feasibility. It is concerned with methodology rather than the substantive findings of research, and considers the requirements of research in both developed and developing countries. The focus of the book is on sexual health interventions, although many of the issues are equally applicable to other areas of behavioural and social research.
Olivia S. Mitchell and Stephen P. Utkus
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199273393
- eISBN:
- 9780191601675
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199273391.003.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Financial Economics
This chapter evaluates new research on the behavioural aspects of retirement planning and how these can be used to design and manage retirement systems. It analyses how workers decide to save, how ...
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This chapter evaluates new research on the behavioural aspects of retirement planning and how these can be used to design and manage retirement systems. It analyses how workers decide to save, how they manage retirement investments, and how they decide to draw down their assets in retirements. Plan design and policy responses are discussed.Less
This chapter evaluates new research on the behavioural aspects of retirement planning and how these can be used to design and manage retirement systems. It analyses how workers decide to save, how they manage retirement investments, and how they decide to draw down their assets in retirements. Plan design and policy responses are discussed.
Robert Rosenthal and Ralph L. Rosnow
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195385540
- eISBN:
- 9780199869824
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195385540.001.0001
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This book is really three-books-in-one, dealing with the topic of artifacts in behavioral research. It is about the problems of experimenter effects which have not been solved. Experimenters still ...
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This book is really three-books-in-one, dealing with the topic of artifacts in behavioral research. It is about the problems of experimenter effects which have not been solved. Experimenters still differ in the ways in which they see, interpret, and manipulate their data. Experimenters still obtain different responses from research participants (human or infrahuman) as a function of experimenters' states and traits of biosocial, psychosocial, and situational origins. Experimenters' expectations still serve too often as self-fulfilling prophecies, a problem that biomedical researchers have acknowledged and guarded against better than have behavioral researchers; e.g., many biomedical studies would be considered of unpublishable quality had their experimenters not been blind to experimental condition. Problems of participant or subject effects have also not been solved. Researchers usually still draw research samples from a population of volunteers that differ along many dimensions from those not finding their way into our research. Research participants are still often suspicious of experimenters' intent, try to figure out what experimenters are after, and are concerned about what the experimenter thinks of them. That portion of the complexity of human behavior that can be attributed to the social nature of behavioral research can be conceptualized as a set of artifacts to be isolated, measured, considered, and, sometimes, eliminated. This book examines the methodological and substantive implications of sources of artifacts in behavioral research and strategies for improving this situation.Less
This book is really three-books-in-one, dealing with the topic of artifacts in behavioral research. It is about the problems of experimenter effects which have not been solved. Experimenters still differ in the ways in which they see, interpret, and manipulate their data. Experimenters still obtain different responses from research participants (human or infrahuman) as a function of experimenters' states and traits of biosocial, psychosocial, and situational origins. Experimenters' expectations still serve too often as self-fulfilling prophecies, a problem that biomedical researchers have acknowledged and guarded against better than have behavioral researchers; e.g., many biomedical studies would be considered of unpublishable quality had their experimenters not been blind to experimental condition. Problems of participant or subject effects have also not been solved. Researchers usually still draw research samples from a population of volunteers that differ along many dimensions from those not finding their way into our research. Research participants are still often suspicious of experimenters' intent, try to figure out what experimenters are after, and are concerned about what the experimenter thinks of them. That portion of the complexity of human behavior that can be attributed to the social nature of behavioral research can be conceptualized as a set of artifacts to be isolated, measured, considered, and, sometimes, eliminated. This book examines the methodological and substantive implications of sources of artifacts in behavioral research and strategies for improving this situation.
Olivia S. Mitchell and Stephen P. Utkus (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199273393
- eISBN:
- 9780191601675
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199273391.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Financial Economics
This book explores how behaviour affects individual decisions on retirement planning. It seeks to provide plan sponsors, retirement service providers, and policymakers with new insights on designing ...
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This book explores how behaviour affects individual decisions on retirement planning. It seeks to provide plan sponsors, retirement service providers, and policymakers with new insights on designing retirement plans, to encourage more savings and better preparation for retirement. The book is divided into four parts. Part I presents studies on retirement planning decisionmaking. Part II deals with retirement plan design. Part III examines the impact of retirement education. Part IV studies the implications of retirement payouts.Less
This book explores how behaviour affects individual decisions on retirement planning. It seeks to provide plan sponsors, retirement service providers, and policymakers with new insights on designing retirement plans, to encourage more savings and better preparation for retirement. The book is divided into four parts. Part I presents studies on retirement planning decisionmaking. Part II deals with retirement plan design. Part III examines the impact of retirement education. Part IV studies the implications of retirement payouts.
Robert Rosenthal and Ralph L. Rosnow
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195385540
- eISBN:
- 9780199869824
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195385540.003.0039
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This chapter sums up the preceding discussions and conclusions.
This chapter sums up the preceding discussions and conclusions.
William Hoppitt and Kevin N. Laland
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691150703
- eISBN:
- 9781400846504
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691150703.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Animal Biology
Many animals, including humans, acquire valuable skills and knowledge by copying others. Scientists refer to this as social learning. It is one of the most exciting and rapidly developing areas of ...
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Many animals, including humans, acquire valuable skills and knowledge by copying others. Scientists refer to this as social learning. It is one of the most exciting and rapidly developing areas of behavioral research and sits at the interface of many academic disciplines, including biology, experimental psychology, economics, and cognitive neuroscience. This book provides a comprehensive, practical guide to the research methods of this important emerging field. It defines the mechanisms thought to underlie social learning and demonstrate how to distinguish them experimentally in the laboratory. It presents techniques for detecting and quantifying social learning in nature, including statistical modeling of the spatial distribution of behavior traits. It also describes the latest theory and empirical findings on social learning strategies, and introduces readers to mathematical methods and models used in the study of cultural evolution. This book is an indispensable tool for researchers and an essential primer for students.Less
Many animals, including humans, acquire valuable skills and knowledge by copying others. Scientists refer to this as social learning. It is one of the most exciting and rapidly developing areas of behavioral research and sits at the interface of many academic disciplines, including biology, experimental psychology, economics, and cognitive neuroscience. This book provides a comprehensive, practical guide to the research methods of this important emerging field. It defines the mechanisms thought to underlie social learning and demonstrate how to distinguish them experimentally in the laboratory. It presents techniques for detecting and quantifying social learning in nature, including statistical modeling of the spatial distribution of behavior traits. It also describes the latest theory and empirical findings on social learning strategies, and introduces readers to mathematical methods and models used in the study of cultural evolution. This book is an indispensable tool for researchers and an essential primer for students.
Ruth G. McRoy, Jerry P. Flanzer, and Joan Levy Zlotnik
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195399646
- eISBN:
- 9780199932757
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195399646.003.0002
- Subject:
- Social Work, Research and Evaluation
Chapter Two provides an historical overview of national social work research capacity – building efforts, especially in the context of the roles of national social work organizations and the National ...
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Chapter Two provides an historical overview of national social work research capacity – building efforts, especially in the context of the roles of national social work organizations and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It provides a brief history of the development of social work research, the widening funding base for social work research and the impact of university research culture on the social work field, particularly as universities have turned their attention to community development and needs. The authors describe the significant impact of the Task Force on Social Work Research, the significant roles of social work professional organizations, and the development of doctoral education programs towards meeting the need for an increasing social work knowledge base to address the demand for evidence based practice.Less
Chapter Two provides an historical overview of national social work research capacity – building efforts, especially in the context of the roles of national social work organizations and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It provides a brief history of the development of social work research, the widening funding base for social work research and the impact of university research culture on the social work field, particularly as universities have turned their attention to community development and needs. The authors describe the significant impact of the Task Force on Social Work Research, the significant roles of social work professional organizations, and the development of doctoral education programs towards meeting the need for an increasing social work knowledge base to address the demand for evidence based practice.
Helen E. Longino
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780226492872
- eISBN:
- 9780226921822
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226921822.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This book enters into the complexities of human behavioral research, a domain still dominated by the age-old debate of “nature versus nurture.” Rather than supporting one side or another or ...
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This book enters into the complexities of human behavioral research, a domain still dominated by the age-old debate of “nature versus nurture.” Rather than supporting one side or another or attempting to replace that dichotomy with a different framework for understanding behavior, the book focuses on how scientists study it, specifically sexual behavior and aggression, and asks what can be known about human behavior through empirical investigation. It dissects five approaches to the study of behavior—quantitative behavioral genetics, molecular behavior genetics, developmental psychology, neurophysiology and anatomy, and social/environmental methods—highlighting the underlying assumptions of these disciplines, as well as the different questions and mechanisms each addresses. The book also analyzes efforts to integrate different approaches. It concludes that there is no single “correct” approach but that each contributes to our overall understanding of human behavior. In addition, the book reflects on the reception and transmission of this behavioral research in scientific, social, clinical, and political spheres.Less
This book enters into the complexities of human behavioral research, a domain still dominated by the age-old debate of “nature versus nurture.” Rather than supporting one side or another or attempting to replace that dichotomy with a different framework for understanding behavior, the book focuses on how scientists study it, specifically sexual behavior and aggression, and asks what can be known about human behavior through empirical investigation. It dissects five approaches to the study of behavior—quantitative behavioral genetics, molecular behavior genetics, developmental psychology, neurophysiology and anatomy, and social/environmental methods—highlighting the underlying assumptions of these disciplines, as well as the different questions and mechanisms each addresses. The book also analyzes efforts to integrate different approaches. It concludes that there is no single “correct” approach but that each contributes to our overall understanding of human behavior. In addition, the book reflects on the reception and transmission of this behavioral research in scientific, social, clinical, and political spheres.
Helen E. Longino
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780226492872
- eISBN:
- 9780226921822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226921822.003.0010
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This chapter considers the uptake of selected articles representative of the different behavioral research approaches by studying citation patterns, the reporting of behavioral research in mass-media ...
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This chapter considers the uptake of selected articles representative of the different behavioral research approaches by studying citation patterns, the reporting of behavioral research in mass-media and “middle-brow” publications, and the reviews of general-interest books by researchers. The goal was to obtain a more complete picture of the transmission of ideas, both within the research context and between the research context and nonspecialist readers. It shows that apart from isolated confrontations staged by journal editors or conference organizers, there is little interaction among proponents of different research approaches. Second, the research itself is unevenly reported in the popular media. In both quantity and interpretation, genetic research is represented as the major and most productive line of investigation. Third, the framing of behavioral research in terms of the nature-nurture debate suggests that the main question about behavior concerns individual behavior and individual differences in behavior.Less
This chapter considers the uptake of selected articles representative of the different behavioral research approaches by studying citation patterns, the reporting of behavioral research in mass-media and “middle-brow” publications, and the reviews of general-interest books by researchers. The goal was to obtain a more complete picture of the transmission of ideas, both within the research context and between the research context and nonspecialist readers. It shows that apart from isolated confrontations staged by journal editors or conference organizers, there is little interaction among proponents of different research approaches. Second, the research itself is unevenly reported in the popular media. In both quantity and interpretation, genetic research is represented as the major and most productive line of investigation. Third, the framing of behavioral research in terms of the nature-nurture debate suggests that the main question about behavior concerns individual behavior and individual differences in behavior.
Zachary M. Schrag
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- January 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780262027465
- eISBN:
- 9780262320825
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262027465.003.0024
- Subject:
- Biology, Bioethics
This chapter explores various ways of distinguishing research that should and should not be covered by human subjects regulations. Aligning regulations to the underlying statute, which only covers ...
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This chapter explores various ways of distinguishing research that should and should not be covered by human subjects regulations. Aligning regulations to the underlying statute, which only covers “biomedical and behavioral research,” would return scrutiny to the areas of concern identified by Congress. Alternatively, defining “human subjects” more narrowly as those people in the power of an investigator might focus energy on the prevention of the abuse of power. By contrast, relying on distinctions between generalizable knowledge and nongeneralizable knowledge is the very worst strategy, for in three decades policy makers have proved unable to agree on what this distinction means.Less
This chapter explores various ways of distinguishing research that should and should not be covered by human subjects regulations. Aligning regulations to the underlying statute, which only covers “biomedical and behavioral research,” would return scrutiny to the areas of concern identified by Congress. Alternatively, defining “human subjects” more narrowly as those people in the power of an investigator might focus energy on the prevention of the abuse of power. By contrast, relying on distinctions between generalizable knowledge and nongeneralizable knowledge is the very worst strategy, for in three decades policy makers have proved unable to agree on what this distinction means.
Helen E. Longino
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780226492872
- eISBN:
- 9780226921822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226921822.003.0002
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This chapter discusses the quantitative behavioral genetics approach to understanding human behavior, covering methods, scope, and assumptions. Quantitative behavioral genetics is a study of ...
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This chapter discusses the quantitative behavioral genetics approach to understanding human behavior, covering methods, scope, and assumptions. Quantitative behavioral genetics is a study of phenotypic variation in populations, which aims to distinguish the (biologically) heritable portion from the nonheritable (or nonbiologically heritable) portion of that variation. This research approach has been controversial. While it can apportion the variance in expression of a trait in a population between biological and environmental variation, a number of criticisms reveal vulnerabilities in the program. These concern the overextension of heritability conclusions and assumptions about the accessibility of relevant variation in the environment to the observation methods of the behavioral genetic approach.Less
This chapter discusses the quantitative behavioral genetics approach to understanding human behavior, covering methods, scope, and assumptions. Quantitative behavioral genetics is a study of phenotypic variation in populations, which aims to distinguish the (biologically) heritable portion from the nonheritable (or nonbiologically heritable) portion of that variation. This research approach has been controversial. While it can apportion the variance in expression of a trait in a population between biological and environmental variation, a number of criticisms reveal vulnerabilities in the program. These concern the overextension of heritability conclusions and assumptions about the accessibility of relevant variation in the environment to the observation methods of the behavioral genetic approach.
Helen E. Longino
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780226492872
- eISBN:
- 9780226921822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226921822.003.0007
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This chapter reviews the five approaches discussed in Chapters 2–6. These are quantitative behavioral genetics; social-environmental approaches; molecular behavioral genetics; neurobiological ...
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This chapter reviews the five approaches discussed in Chapters 2–6. These are quantitative behavioral genetics; social-environmental approaches; molecular behavioral genetics; neurobiological approaches; and integrative approaches (developmental systems theory/dynamic systems, gene x environment x neurosystem interaction, and multifactorial path analysis).Less
This chapter reviews the five approaches discussed in Chapters 2–6. These are quantitative behavioral genetics; social-environmental approaches; molecular behavioral genetics; neurobiological approaches; and integrative approaches (developmental systems theory/dynamic systems, gene x environment x neurosystem interaction, and multifactorial path analysis).
Helen E. Longino
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780226492872
- eISBN:
- 9780226921822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226921822.003.0009
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This chapter analyzes the ways in which the particular behaviors of interest to the studies examined are operationalized and conceptualized, and sets that examination in the context of philosophical ...
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This chapter analyzes the ways in which the particular behaviors of interest to the studies examined are operationalized and conceptualized, and sets that examination in the context of philosophical thought about the general concept of behavior. It argues that human behavior is so familiar to us that it is difficult to achieve sufficient distance to devise stable and meaningful constructs for investigative purposes. The two families of behavior whose scientific investigation form the subject of this book turn out to be especially elusive. Aggression, even when narrowed to non-state-sponsored interpersonal infliction of harm splinters into different measurable indices. The focus on sexual orientation, on the other hand, may conceal other dimensions of sexual variation that interact with the object of erotic attention/arousal.Less
This chapter analyzes the ways in which the particular behaviors of interest to the studies examined are operationalized and conceptualized, and sets that examination in the context of philosophical thought about the general concept of behavior. It argues that human behavior is so familiar to us that it is difficult to achieve sufficient distance to devise stable and meaningful constructs for investigative purposes. The two families of behavior whose scientific investigation form the subject of this book turn out to be especially elusive. Aggression, even when narrowed to non-state-sponsored interpersonal infliction of harm splinters into different measurable indices. The focus on sexual orientation, on the other hand, may conceal other dimensions of sexual variation that interact with the object of erotic attention/arousal.
Helen E. Longino
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780226492872
- eISBN:
- 9780226921822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226921822.003.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This introductory chapter sets out the book's purpose, which is to examine a set of research approaches that are in one way or another engaged with the debate over human behavior to understand their ...
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This introductory chapter sets out the book's purpose, which is to examine a set of research approaches that are in one way or another engaged with the debate over human behavior to understand their epistemological structure (investigative methods, assumptions, basic concepts), the kinds of knowledge they provide, and the pragmatic aims they can be seen to advance. The book outlines the evidential and argumentative structure of empirical research on human behavior that either employs one or another biological approach or is claimed to present an alternative to such approaches. It argues for and elaborates three principal theses, one epistemological, regarding the character of knowledge generated in this research; one ontological, regarding the object of knowledge; and one social, regarding the differential uptake and diffusion of knowledge. The organization and structure of the book is also described.Less
This introductory chapter sets out the book's purpose, which is to examine a set of research approaches that are in one way or another engaged with the debate over human behavior to understand their epistemological structure (investigative methods, assumptions, basic concepts), the kinds of knowledge they provide, and the pragmatic aims they can be seen to advance. The book outlines the evidential and argumentative structure of empirical research on human behavior that either employs one or another biological approach or is claimed to present an alternative to such approaches. It argues for and elaborates three principal theses, one epistemological, regarding the character of knowledge generated in this research; one ontological, regarding the object of knowledge; and one social, regarding the differential uptake and diffusion of knowledge. The organization and structure of the book is also described.
Helen E. Longino
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780226492872
- eISBN:
- 9780226921822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226921822.003.0004
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This chapter discusses the molecular behavioral genetics approach to studying human behavior, covering methods, scope, and assumptions. Molecular genetics promises to deliver more precise ...
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This chapter discusses the molecular behavioral genetics approach to studying human behavior, covering methods, scope, and assumptions. Molecular genetics promises to deliver more precise characterizations of the gene–behavior relation than is possible using the methods of classical population genetics. However, the cost of this precision has been a reduced number of behavioral dispositions that can be attributed without qualification to genetic configurations.Less
This chapter discusses the molecular behavioral genetics approach to studying human behavior, covering methods, scope, and assumptions. Molecular genetics promises to deliver more precise characterizations of the gene–behavior relation than is possible using the methods of classical population genetics. However, the cost of this precision has been a reduced number of behavioral dispositions that can be attributed without qualification to genetic configurations.
