Research Foundations of Human Development and Family Science: Science versus Nonsense

Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) is an interdisciplinary field that combines developmental science, family science, and other social sciences. Research Foundations of Human Development and Family Science is a textbook that provides an introduction to the diverse scientific research methods that form the foundation of scholarship and practice in HDFS. It distinguishes empirical scientific research from common sense and personal experience, examines systematic empiricism through sampling and measurement, introduces the use of study design to achieve falsifiability, and addresses the public verifiability of science. Illustrated with studies foundational to the discipline, the textbook challenges students to understand the limitations of common sense and the threat of pseudoscience.

Format: Hardback
Length: 290 pages
Publication date: 22 February 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) is a dynamic and interdisciplinary field that draws from various social sciences, including developmental science and family science. It encompasses a wide range of topics and approaches to understanding human development and family dynamics.

Research Foundations of Human Development and Family Science is a comprehensive textbook that serves as an introduction to the diverse scientific research methods that form the foundation of scholarship and practice in HDFS. In Part I, Kathleen D. Dyer delves into the realm of science, distinguishing it from common sense and knowledge gained from personal experience. She also explores the strategies employed by pseudoscience to exploit the credibility of science, providing relevant examples.

Part II examines systematic empiricism through sampling and measurement. HDFS scholars employ a diverse array of measurement tools, including self-report (interviews, questionnaires, and self-report tasks), observations (participant, naturalistic, and structured), objective tests, physiological measures, and various types of archival records. This section provides a thorough exploration of the techniques used to gather empirical data in HDFS research.

Part III introduces the use of study design to achieve falsifiability in scientific research. It provides an overview of different orientations to time used in research, as well as four distinct study designs: qualitative, prevalence, correlational, and experimental. These study designs are crucial in shaping the research questions, data collection methods, and analysis approaches employed in HDFS research.

Part IV addresses the public verifiability of science, emphasizing how scientific consensus is developed, the use of literature reviews to identify convergence of evidence, and how scientific literacy translates into evidence-based professional practice. The text is illustrated throughout with studies foundational to the discipline, serving as examples of the strategies described in the text.

Research Foundations for Human Development and Family Science is a comprehensive and accessible core textbook for undergraduate and graduate students studying HDFS. It provides a solid foundation in scientific research methods, study design, and the evaluation of scientific evidence, enabling students to engage in rigorous and informed scholarship in this field.

Weight: 730g
Dimension: 254 x 178 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032015552