Science as a Human Endeavour (SHE)

Stage 2 Psychology
What is SHE?

Science as a human It is important that we understand

endeavour (or SHE for how science influences our lives,
short) refers to the and the influence that our lives
interaction that society has have on scientific developments.
with science, and vice versa. SHE Tasks help us to explore this.
The SHE Concepts

There are 3 major SHE Communication &

Collaboration
Development
& Application
concepts that underpin
science as a human
endeavour in Psychology Influence
Communication & Collaboration
Science is a global enterprise that
relies on clear communication,
international conventions, and
review and verification of results.
Collaboration between
psychologists and stakeholders'
advances research and
understanding. It requires shared
evidence from many sources in a
multidisciplinary approach.
Development & Application

The application of psychological

Developments in research and understanding can enable scientists
to develop solutions, design actions,
technology lead to advances in and evaluate and respond to
Psychological understanding. economic, sociocultural and
environmental factors.
Influence

The use of psychological knowledge

Psychological knowledge and its
may have positive, negative, or
application are both influenced by, and
unexpected consequences that require
influence economic, sociocultural,
monitoring, assessment and evaluation.
religious, ideological, political, and
The use of psychological knowledge
environmental perspectives in a local,
must take into account risks and ethical
national and global context.
considerations.
So what do you need to do?
Step 1: Find a topic to
research
• Select and explore a recent
discovery, innovation, issue or
advancement linked to one of
the topics in Psychology. A
good starting place is
Scientific Journals & websites.
I have linked several sources
in the Weebly site for you.
Step 2: Determine the Step 3: Synthesise this
SHE concepts information into a report
• Make notes on the psychology, • Prepare a scientific report
the technology, future synthesising the information
directions, issues or problems you have found with particular
with the concept and the focus on your chosen key SHE
implications for use. concepts.
• Determine at least one of the
SHE key concepts that the
information is linked to, and
categorise your notes (two is
better).
But what should I be looking for?
 Good for studies that have collaboration across countries/institutions

Communication Good for showing how important replication of results is e.g.: replication of Milgram’s authority
& Collaboration studies didn’t always show the same effects

Need to discuss how each group in the partnership is required and what their roles are (you can
• Science is a global enterprise that also use this to show what happens when you DON’T have good collaboration)
relies on clear communication,
international conventions, and
review and verification of results.
Who has been contributing to your research? Who else besides psychologists have been
• Collaboration between psychologists collaborating with each other? E.g.: doctors, psychiatrists, neurologists etc. What have they been
and stakeholders' advances research doing? How have they been helping?
and understanding. It requires
shared evidence from many sources
in a multidisciplinary approach. What other disciplines (jobs) have been contributing to this research?

How has including other disciplines in this research helped to further knowledge in this area?

Has this been international research? If so, what other countries have been involved and how has
this made the research better?
 Show how developments in technology/theory change psychological understanding.

Development & How have scientists refined their knowledge through these new developments?
Application
What knowledge have they changed or learnt about your topic that they didn’t know before?

• Developments in research
and technology lead to How is psychology used to inform public debate and practices e.g.: COVID, learner styles etc
advances in Psychological
understanding.
Developing understanding of the topic can change the application of psychological theory e.g. trying an
• The application of existing treatment on a different type of issue that it wasn’t originally intended for
psychological understanding
can enable scientists to Has there been any new technology created specifically for this research and why? What are the benefits?
develop solutions, design
actions, and evaluate and
respond to economic,
From what they have learnt, how are they using the information to better society?
sociocultural and
environmental factors.
What solutions or actions have been taken as a result of developing new knowledge in this area?

How have these solutions been impacted by economic (money), sociocultural (social needs) or
environmental (society and environment) factors?
 Influence
How does society influence what is researched? Unexpected consequences of application e.g.: repressed
memories

What is currently happening in society for psychologists to research Ethics of new areas of research e.g.: anxiety inhibitors
• Psychological about your topic – what solutions are they providing as a result of
knowledge and its this – how is this positively, negatively or unexpectedly impacting
application are both society?
influenced by, and
influence economic,
sociocultural, religious, What has influenced whether this topic has been researched? Has How what is researched is influencing society?
ideological, political, and there been any economic, sociocultural, religious, ideological,
environmental political, and environmental influences?
perspectives in a local,
national and global
context.
Is this an issue at a local, national, or global context? How are What are the benefits on society of this information? What
• The use of psychological people being impacted by this research? positive, negative or unexpected consequences has it have?
knowledge may have
positive, negative, or
unexpected consequences
that require monitoring, Discuss how these impacts can influence what gets researched e.g.: How has this research been monitored, assessed and
assessment and if there is funding (economic), then there is more money to put into evaluated? Why has this been important?
evaluation. The use of the research. If there is a sociocultural need (e.g.: isolation in
psychological knowledge COVID and this impacting mental health), then researchers are
must take into account more likely to look at this issue
risks and ethical
considerations.

How research can impact public perception e.g.: reduced stigma How have psychologists monitored ethical risks when
about mental health completing this research?
Let’s do a practice!
Science as a Human Endeavour
Where to from here?

• Use the Psychology SHE structure on

the Weebly site as you start your
research.

• There are several sources linked there,

as well as links to good platforms to
gain extensive research on your chosen
social media topic.
Some possible resources
Science as a Human Endeavour
Some possible resources
Some possible resources