An Analysis of the Relations Between Basic and Applied Psychology

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Abstract
While pondering the question ''What is modern applied cognitive psychology?'' we encountered a set of issues that are difficult to tackle, simply because the available characterizations of the relations of so-called basic and applied science are inadequate to the task of describing the full variety of factors involved. Here, we present a descriptive scheme that extends Brunswik's (1955, 1956) notions of ecological validity and representativeness. This scheme includes several ''outward-looking'' dimensions according to which one can judge research materials, methods, and settings in terms of their relevance to human experience outside the research context. Corresponding ''inward-looking'' dimensions, such as epistemological validity, refer to judgments of the relevance of experimental designs and hypotheses to important theoretical matters. In addition, the results of research are analyzed in terms of judgment dimensions such as ecological and epistemological utility. This multidimensional judgment scheme should be broadly useful in addressing questions about the relations of so-called applied and basic science.

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