What do Psychologists Want? Contingent Valuation as a Special Case of Asking Questions

Abstract

For a hundred years or so, psychologists have been asking people evaluative questions. In order to gain approval for their work, they have had to satisfy peer reviewers in disciplinary journals run primarily by other psychologists. In this world, technical reports carry little credibility. Psychologists' training typically includes graduate and undergraduate courses in research design, culminating in an experimental dissertation. Unless they are high rollers, they stick to methods that are incremental improvements on existing ones, with (what are believed to be) well-understood strengths and weaknesses. Somewhat more innovation is tolerated in creating theoretical accounts. Top journals seldom accept studies motivated primarily by practical, rather than theoretical issues. Great emphasis is placed on anticipating criticisms -- by raising alternative explanations, explicitly citing sources of residual uncertainty, and identifying research needs.