Probe refers to a technique employed in interviewing to solicit a more complete answer to a question. Probe is a non-directive phrase or question used to encourage a respondent to elaborate on an answer. Examples of questions are: "Anything more?", "In what way?" or "How is that?"
In the psychology context, a probe refers to a specific method or tool used to gather information or data in a research study. Probes can be various types of instruments, such as questionnaires, surveys, interviews, or physiological measures like brain scans or heart rate monitors.
Here are a few examples of probes used in different areas of psychology:
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In cognitive psychology, a probe might be a visual search task in which participants are asked to identify a specific target item among distractors.
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In social psychology, a probe might be a survey question that assesses attitudes or beliefs about a particular social issue.
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In clinical psychology, a probe might be a structured interview used to assess symptoms of a mental health disorder.
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In developmental psychology, a probe might be a task that assesses a child's ability to understand cause and effect relationships.
Probes are designed to provide researchers with accurate and reliable data, which can then be used to draw conclusions and make recommendations for further research or interventions.