Socialr esearchis all arounclu s. Educatorsg, o\,-
ernment officials, business managers, hutntrrt
service providers, and health care professionals
regularly uses social research methods and findings.
People eopleu use social research to raise children.
reduce crime, improve public health, sell products,
c Lrjust understand one’s life. Reports of research
ppearo n brclaclcasnte $,sp rograms,i t.t
popular magazines, newspapers, and on the
lnternet.
Research findings can affect people’s daily
lives and public policies. For example, I recentl’y
heard a debater egrrrclirrag U.S. federal government
program to off teenagers sexual abstinence
counseling. A high-level government
official argued for such counseling in NCLS TROR”RGL,v
opposed offering teens birth control information.
An independent health administrator
noted that there is no scientific evidence, though. –
ing that abstinence-only counseling works.I ie
said that 80 percent teens are already sexually
active the age of 18; therefore, it is essential
Provide birth control information. He pointed
to many researchs tucl iess horvingt hi r t bi r th
control instruction for tecnsl ecluce’psr csnJncv
rates and the spread of scrr.ralltrr ‘.rr.rsnrittct1tii :-
eases. The government Last incr. toccr . i l r.’ r r l rocater
eiiedo n rnoral persurrsionL rcc.rr.rhscc i r.r11
no researche viclenccl.c ieoloqr,i irith, .urcip olit
ics shapem an\ ‘ governnrentp rogranrsr ather
than solid research evidence, good social research
can help all of us make informed decisions.
The evidence also explains why Mary m.ury
programs fail to accomplish research or, more do
more harm than good.