Each year, thousands of psychological scientists compete for and some portion of them receive millions of dollars of federal funding for their research projects. Before a research project can be funded by a federal government agency such as the National Institutes for Health or similar organizations the research proposals go through a rigorous peer review process that ensures that only those research proposals with the highest scientific merit receive funding from federal agencies.
Most of these scientists will pursue their scientific proposals with little interference, or even interest, from the public at large. However, as federal research budgets are tightening, policymakers are looking more closely at the return on the multibillion dollar federal investments in basic and applied research. In the past few years, there have even been a number of Congressional attempts to rescind funding for specific peer-reviewed, behavioral research grants. Some attacks have been primarily ideological, while others have been economic in origin. Please read the information found at the weblinks below and then discuss the following:
What role should the federal government have in funding scientific research, particularly research of a psychological nature? Do you think politicians should determine which projects are funded and which are not or should these decisions be left to those with appropriate expertise in the scientific community? What do you think of the APA's position on this question? Explain you conclusions.
APA Statement Supporting NIH Peer Review
APA Letter to Congress
Self-Defense for the Psychological Scientist