Psychological science may benefit from prioritizing underlying capacities over observable effects
In short: Researchers argue that by focusing primarily on observable effects, psychological science may lose sight of its most important subjects: psychological capacities. The authors suggest that shifting this focus can help scientists build more plausible theories even before empirical testing begins.
The authors propose a "theoretical cycle" that uses theoretical analysis to endow theories with minimal plausibility before they encounter empirical data. They suggest extending Marr’s levels-of-analysis framework to fields like social, developmental, and evolutionary psychology to better understand how capacities produce specific effects.
As a theoretical perspective, this paper offers a conceptual framework rather than new experimental data or a study of a specific population.
Why it matters: Shifting focus from observable effects to underlying capacities could help build more robust psychological theories.
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