Selection of a good psychology research topic is the first step to the success of your research. While selecting a topic for psychology research paper you might find plenty of sources but too many topics also make the process of selection confusing. Selecting the right topic for your research paper depends on several factors, sometimes a topic is selected by chance but it proves to be a great one, otherwise it requires lots of research and brainstorming before you reach an idea or a question that is the best. The choice of the research topic largely depends on the field of psychology. There are various fields of psychology including the following:
Clinical Psychology
Consumer Psychology
Counseling Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Educational Psychology
Environmental Psychology
Experimental and Human Factors Psychology
Neuropsychology/Psychobiology
Physiological Psychology
Rehabilitation Psychology
School Psychology
Social Psychology
Sport Psychology
The process of formulating a research question
Your interest in any of these fields will certainly start the process of formulating a research question. The above-mentioned fields of psychology are very broad and they need to be narrowed down several times before you will be able to reach the stage where you are able to formulate a research question. The researcher needs to be sure about two factors at this time;
whether the topic he wants to choose is one that needs to be solved,
and second, that it has a scope and significance for the society.
Once he/she knows that the topic is a significant one he requires additional knowledge about the topic area to formulate a good research question. This additional knowledge can be acquired from reviewing available literature, discussion with some experts who have knowledge about your field or your research supervisor if you have one. A pilot study can also be conducted if required. An in-depth knowledge will help in developing several research questions. Primary and secondary research questions can be formulated from the list of questions that you have formulated in this process. All questions must be formed at this stage, otherwise, the researcher cannot define research objective and the hypothesis of the study.
Wording of the research question/problem
The wordings of the research question is very important since it describes what researcher is asking and going to accomplish and how he is going to accomplish it.
For example; a descriptive research will start with a question like describe, review or define
An exploratory research can ask to evaluate
An experimental research can ask to study,
An explanatory research will ask to discuss
A correlational research might ask to compare and contrast, find relationship,
Sample psychology research paper topics
Clinical Psychology
- To discuss the preventive interventions for anorexia nervosa in teenage girls
- A meta-analysis of the impact of authoritative parenting approach on adolescents behavior
Consumer Psychology
- How consumer buying pattern shifted from brick and mortar retail stores to online stores?
- How advertising impacts impulse buying?
Counseling Psychology
- A study on the impact of early intervention programs on preventing juvenile delinquency.
Developmental Psychology
- A study on the impact of developmental delays in children on their school grades.
Educational Psychology
- A multilevel examination of racial biases in high school and its impact on school grades.
- The impact of early school start timings on the performance of elementary school children.
Experimental and Human Factors Psychology
- How socioeconomic status of children impacts their decision-making process in public schools.
- The impact of antisocial behavior in childhood on criminal behavior as a youth.
Neuropsychology/Psychobiology
- The impact of genetic factors on the development of self-esteem or self-worth in adolescents.
- The physiological and psychological impacts of anorexia nervosa on teenage girls.
Physiological Psychology
- Aging causes a decline in cognitive skills, memory and skills.
- The impact of physical well being on the psychological state of the children in elementary schools.
Rehabilitation Psychology
- How early intervention can help improve the school performance of children with disability.
School Psychology
- To compare and contrast the concepts of conformity and obedience in school children.
- To compare and contrast the impact of high-conformity in school children with in groups and its impact on criminal activities performed by them.
Social Psychology
- Discuss sibling relationships in children and the reasons behind jealousy, anger and frustration.
References
- Patricia Farrugia, et al, Research Questions, Hypothesis, and Objectives, Can J Surg, Vol 53(4), Aug, 2010 Pp- 278-281
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