Fundamental vs. Applied Research
📘 3.2 Fundamental vs. Applied Research (मौलिक बनाम अनुप्रयुक्त अनुसंधान)
🧠 Introduction
Psychological research can be broadly categorized into two types based on its purpose and goal:
- Fundamental (or Basic) Research: Focuses on building theories and expanding scientific knowledge
- Applied Research: Aims to solve real-world problems using psychological principles
Both are complementary — fundamental research lays the foundation, and applied research uses that foundation to create practical interventions.
🔍 I. Fundamental Research (मौलिक अनुसंधान)
Also known as basic or pure research, this is conducted to:
- Expand knowledge
- Test existing theories or formulate new ones
- Understand psychological processes without immediate application in mind
It answers “why”, “what”, and “how” questions about behaviour.
🔬 Characteristics:
- Conducted in controlled settings (e.g., labs)
- Theory-driven
- Long-term impact
- May not have immediate practical benefit
📌 Examples:
- Cognitive Research
Studying how attention and working memory interact — even if it doesn’t solve a direct problem. - Neurological Research
Exploring the role of the amygdala in fear response using fMRI scans. - Developmental Psychology
Piaget’s stages of cognitive development — foundational for later educational applications.
🇮🇳 Indian Example:
- NIMHANS Research on the impact of stress on cortisol levels among Indian youth.
- Fundamental research on Ayurvedic formulations’ effect on brain chemistry, conducted by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS).
🛠️ II. Applied Research (अनुप्रयुक्त अनुसंधान)
Applied research is aimed at:
- Solving practical problems
- Improving human conditions
- Testing psychological theories in real-life contexts
It answers “how to solve” questions.
🧰 Characteristics:
- Real-world settings (schools, clinics, workplaces)
- Immediate utility
- Often sponsored by institutions, industry, or government
- May use findings from fundamental research
📌 Examples:
- Educational Psychology
Using memory research to develop mnemonics-based learning programs in classrooms. - Clinical Psychology
Designing CBT interventions for depression based on cognitive research. - Organizational Psychology
Improving employee productivity using Herzberg’s motivation theory.
🇮🇳 Indian Example:
- NCERT’s applied research to create child-friendly textbooks based on developmental psychology.
- Sakhi One Stop Centres use applied psychological models to help domestic violence survivors with trauma therapy.
- Swachh Bharat Behavioural Campaigns based on nudge theory from psychology to promote sanitation.
📊 III. Comparison Table: Fundamental vs Applied Research
| Basis | Fundamental Research | Applied Research |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop theories, understand principles | Solve real-world problems |
| Setting | Laboratory-based | Field-based (clinics, schools, industries) |
| Outcome | Theoretical knowledge | Practical applications |
| Time Horizon | Long-term benefit | Immediate benefit |
| Example | Study of neural circuits in memory | Developing memory training modules for students |
| Indian Context | NIMHANS studies on cognition | CBSE interventions for student stress |
🎯 Importance in Psychology
| Type | Importance |
|---|---|
| Fundamental | Advances psychological theory, builds conceptual frameworks |
| Applied | Makes psychology useful in governance, education, health |
They are interdependent:
- You can’t design effective therapy (applied) without knowing how memory works (fundamental).
- Applied findings may challenge or refine fundamental theories.
📖 Real-Life Scenario:
A psychologist studies how stress affects decision-making in lab settings (fundamental).
Later, she designs a stress-reduction module for IAS officers under pressure (applied).
🧘♀️ Analogy:
Think of fundamental research as discovering how the human body functions,
and applied research as designing treatment or exercise plans based on that knowledge.
✅ Conclusion
Both fundamental and applied research are pillars of psychological progress.
- Fundamental research helps us understand the why of behaviour.
- Applied research helps us use that understanding to make lives better.
For a holistic approach to public well-being, especially in a diverse country like India, both are essential.
