What is an example of a conceptual research?

Conceptual research? Oh man, that stuff is fascinating. It’s like…think of it like exploring a really deep question, not with a microscope or a telescope, but with your mind. You’re not necessarily gathering data in the traditional sense, you know, like doing surveys or experiments. You’re more…diving into existing ideas and theories and trying to connect them in new ways, looking for hidden meanings, maybe even coming up with completely new perspectives.

Like, take social media addiction, for example. (Something I think about a lot, honestly. Who hasn’t gotten sucked into endlessly scrolling?!). A conceptual researcher might explore the different philosophical underpinnings of addiction, or maybe compare different psychological theories about why people become dependent. They’re not necessarily interviewing addicts or measuring screen time (though that could be part of other research, of course!). They’re more interested in the bigger picture, the underlying concepts, the “why” behind the “what,” you know?

Another example? I was reading this article the other day about the concept of “beauty” – like, what even is beauty, really? It wasn’t based on any specific experiment, but it drew on philosophy, art history, and even evolutionary biology to explore how our understanding of beauty changes over time and across cultures. That, to me, is pure conceptual research. It’s all about thinking deeply, making connections, and maybe even challenging our assumptions about the world. It’s heady stuff, really. Makes you think, doesn’t it?