School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-2610.
Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-2714.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Nov 6;115(45):11435-11441. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1721167115.
This commentary focuses on two important contrasts in the behavioral sciences: () default versus nondefault study populations, where default samples have been used disproportionately (for psychology, the default is undergraduates at major research universities), and () the adoption of a distant versus close (engaged) attitude toward study samples. Previous research has shown a strong correlation between these contrasts, where default samples and distant perspectives are the norm. Distancing is sometimes seen as necessary for objectivity, and an engaged orientation is sometimes criticized as biased, advocacy research, especially if the researcher shares a social group membership with the study population (e.g., a black male researcher studying black male students). The lack of diversity in study samples has been paralleled by a lack of diversity in the researchers themselves. The salience of default samples and distancing in prior research creates potential (and presumed) risk factors for engaged research with nondefault samples. However, a distant perspective poses risks as well, and particularly so for research with nondefault populations. We suggest that engaged research can usefully encourage attention to the study context and taking the perspective of study samples, both of which are good research practices. More broadly, we argue that social and educational sciences need skepticism, interestedness, and engagement, not distancing. Fostering an engaged perspective in research may also foster a more diverse population of social scientists.
（）默认与非默认研究人群，其中默认样本的使用不成比例（对于心理学来说，默认样本是主要研究型大学的本科生），以及（）对研究样本采取疏远与亲近（参与）的态度。先前的研究表明，这两个对比之间存在很强的相关性，其中默认样本和疏远的视角是常态。有时，为了保持客观性而采用疏远的态度，而亲近的取向有时会被批评为有偏见，倡导性研究，尤其是如果研究人员与研究人群有共同的社会群体成员身份（例如，研究黑人男学生的黑人男研究人员）。研究样本的多样性缺乏与研究人员自身的多样性相呼应。在先前的研究中，默认样本和疏远的突出性为具有非默认样本的参与性研究创造了潜在的（和假定的）风险因素。然而，疏远的视角也存在风险，尤其是对于非默认人群的研究而言。我们认为，参与性研究可以有益地鼓励关注研究背景和研究样本的观点，这两者都是良好的研究实践。更广泛地说，我们认为社会和教育科学需要持怀疑态度、有兴趣和参与，而不是疏远。在研究中培养参与性的视角也可能培养出更多样化的社会科学家群体。
