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75+ Psychology Research Topics + Sample Research Questions for Students

Choosing a psychology research topic is one of the most critical—and challenging—steps in writing a successful psychology paper or thesis. The right topic sets the foundation for your entire project, while a poorly chosen one can lead to frustration, dead ends, and lower grades.

This guide provides more than 75 psychology research topics organized by subfield, each with a specific, testable research question. Whether you’re writing a B.S. degree research paper, completing a course assignment, or starting your thesis, you’ll find actionable ideas you can adapt to your specific requirements.

What Makes a Strong Psychology Research Topic?

Before diving into the topic list, understand what separates a mediocre research idea from an excellent one. Strong psychology research topics share several characteristics:

Feasibility: You must be able to conduct the research within your constraints—time, budget, access to participants or data, and your own research skills. A topic requiring fMRI scans might be fascinating but impractical for an undergraduate term paper.

Originality: While your research doesn’t need to reinvent the field, it should offer a fresh perspective, new connection, or replication in a different context. Originality is crucial in academic writing to avoid duplication and contribute meaningful knowledge.

Ethical Soundness: Your topic must allow you to conduct research ethically. Avoid areas involving vulnerable populations without proper approvals, or topics that could cause participant distress without adequate justification and safeguards.

Specificity: “Social media effects” is too broad. “The relationship between Instagram use and body image dissatisfaction among female college students” is researchable. Specific topics lead to focused research questions and manageable papers.

Relevance: Your topic should connect to current psychological science, theoretical debates, or practical applications. Literature from the past 5-10 years should exist to support your investigation.

Difference Between Topic and Research Question: The topic is your general area of study (e.g., “memory and aging”). The research question narrows it to a specific, testable inquiry (e.g., “Does mindfulness meditation improve working memory performance in adults over 65?”). Quality research questions are clear, focused, and complex enough to require analysis rather than a simple yes/no answer.

80+ Psychology Research Topics by Category

The following topics are organized into eight major psychology subfields. Each includes a brief description and a sample research question you can adapt. These ideas draw from current trends and enduring questions in psychological science according to leading academic resources.

Clinical & Abnormal Psychology

  1. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Veterans
    Explore the effectiveness of different therapeutic approaches for military veterans.
    Sample question: What is the comparative effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy versus prolonged exposure therapy for reducing PTSD symptoms in combat veterans?
  2. Anxiety Disorders in College Students
    Investigate triggers and interventions specific to the college environment.
    Sample question: How do academic pressure, social media use, and sleep deprivation interact to predict anxiety levels among undergraduate students?
  3. Depression and Physical Activity
    Study the relationship between exercise and mood improvement.
    Sample question: Does the timing of physical activity (morning vs. evening) moderate its antidepressant effects in adults with mild to moderate depression?
  4. Eating Disorders: Social Media Influence
    Examine how image-based platforms affect body image and disordered eating.
    Sample question: To what extent does exposure to “fitspiration” content on Instagram predict body dissatisfaction and restrictive eating behaviors in young women?
  5. Substance Use Disorders and Harm Reduction
    Explore alternative approaches to abstinence-only models.
    Sample question: Are supervised consumption sites associated with reduced overdose deaths and increased treatment entry rates compared to traditional enforcement approaches?
  6. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Treatments
    Compare therapeutic modalities for OCD symptoms.
    Sample question: How does the addition of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to standard Exposure and Response Prevention affect long-term outcomes for patients with contamination OCD?
  7. Suicide Prevention in Adolescent Populations
    Identify effective screening and intervention methods.
    Sample question: Are school-based mental health literacy programs associated with increased help-seeking behavior and reduced suicide attempts among high school students?
  8. Bipolar Disorder: Early Detection
    Study prodromal symptoms and early intervention.
    Sample question: What combination of mood symptoms, sleep patterns, and cognitive changes best predicts the onset of a first manic episode in at-risk adolescents?
  9. Personality Disorders and Interpersonal Relationships
    Investigate how personality disorder traits affect relationship functioning.
    Sample question: How do attachment styles moderate the relationship between borderline personality disorder features and romantic relationship satisfaction?
  10. Trauma-Informed Care Approaches
    Evaluate the implementation and outcomes of trauma-informed practices.
    Sample question: To what extent does trauma-informed care training reduce staff burnout and improve client outcomes in community mental health centers?

Cognitive Psychology

  1. Working Memory Capacity and Academic Achievement
    Explore the relationship between working memory and learning outcomes.
    Sample question: Does working memory capacity predict mathematics achievement more strongly than verbal achievement in middle school students, controlling for general intelligence?
  2. Attention and Digital Multitasking
    Study how simultaneous device use affects cognitive performance.
    Sample question: How does frequent task-switching between smartphones and academic work impact sustained attention and information retention?
  3. False Memory Formation
    Investigate mechanisms of memory distortion and suggestibility.
    Sample question: What types of misleading post-event information most effectively create false autobiographical memories in adults?
  4. Bilingualism and Executive Function
    Examine cognitive advantages of multilingualism.
    Sample question: Do bilingual individuals show faster task-switching and better inhibitory control compared to monolinguals, and does this advantage vary by age of second language acquisition?
  5. Sleep Deprivation and Decision-Making
    Study how lack of sleep affects judgment and risk assessment.
    Sample question: How does 24 hours of sleep deprivation impair risk evaluation on the Iowa Gambling Task compared to mild sleep restriction (6 hours)?
  6. Spatial Navigation and Gender Differences
    Investigate potential differences in navigational strategies.
    Sample question: Do males and females differ in their use of geometric versus landmark cues when navigating unfamiliar virtual environments?
  7. Metacognition and Learning Strategies
    Explore how awareness of one’s own thinking affects study effectiveness.
    Sample question: Does training in metacognitive monitoring improve college students’ ability to predict their exam performance and adjust study strategies accordingly?
  8. Processing Speed and Aging
    Study cognitive changes across the adult lifespan.
    Sample question: Which components of processing speed (simple motor, perceptual, decision) show the steepest decline between ages 60 and 80?
  9. Automaticity in Skill Acquisition
    Examine how practice makes actions unconscious.
    Sample question: At what point of practice does a complex cognitive task (e.g., typing, musical performance) transition from controlled to automatic processing?
  10. Cognitive Load Theory Applications
    Investigate how working memory limitations affect instructional design.
    Sample question: Which presentation format (integrated versus split-attention) best supports learning of spatially complex information in multimedia environments?

Developmental Psychology

  1. Attachment Styles and Adult Relationships
    Explore how early attachment affects later romantic partnerships.
    Sample question: Do securely attached individuals report higher relationship satisfaction and better conflict resolution skills in their adult romantic relationships?
  2. Screen Time and Toddler Development
    Investigate effects of early digital media exposure.
    Sample question: What is the relationship between screen time before age 2 and later language development, attention problems, and social skills?
  3. Adolescent Identity Formation
    Study Erikson’s stage of identity vs. role confusion.
    Sample question: How do family structure, peer relationships, and social media use interact in shaping identity exploration during adolescence?
  4. Parenting Styles and Academic Achievement
    Compare outcomes of authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved parenting.
    Sample question: Are children of authoritative parents more intrinsically motivated and academically successful than those of authoritarian parents?
  5. Peer Influence on Prosocial Behavior
    Examine how friends affect kindness, sharing, and cooperation.
    Sample question: Do adolescents engage in more prosocial behaviors when their peer group values and recognizes helping behavior?
  6. Language Acquisition in Bilingual Homes
    Study dual language development in young children.
    Sample question: What factors (parental language use, community exposure, schooling) predict dominant language outcomes in children raised in bilingual households?
  7. Moral Development Across Cultures
    Investigate universal vs. culturally-specific moral reasoning.
    Sample question: How do cultural values (individualism vs. collectivism) shape adolescents’ reasoning about dilemmas involving authority, loyalty, and fairness?
  8. Impact of Divorce on Children at Different Ages
    Examine how children’s developmental stage moderates effects.
    Sample question: Do younger children (ages 3-6) show different patterns of adjustment to parental divorce compared to adolescents (ages 13-17)?
  9. Executive Function Development in Early Childhood
    Track the emergence of self-regulation, planning, and inhibition.
    Sample question: How do preschool interventions targeting executive function skills affect later academic readiness and behavioral self-control?
  10. Emerging Adulthood and Life Transitions
    Study the developmental period from ages 18-29.
    Sample question: How do economic factors (student debt, employment market) influence identity exploration and relationship formation in emerging adults?

Social Psychology

  1. Conformity and Obedience in Modern Contexts
    Revisit classic studies with contemporary relevance.
    Sample question: How do factors like perceived legitimacy, group size, and presence of dissenting peers influence conformity in online versus face-to-face settings?
  2. Implicit Bias in Everyday Interactions
    Investigate unconscious attitudes and behavior.
    Sample question: Do resume call-back rates differ based on implicitly race- or gender-stereotyped names, and how can structured interviews reduce this bias?
  3. Social Media and Self-Presentation
    Study online identity management and its psychological effects.
    Sample question: Does the frequency of posting curated “highlight reel” content predict lower self-esteem and higher social comparison tendencies?
  4. Prosocial Behavior: Altruism vs. Egoism
    Explore motivations for helping others.
    Sample question: Are people more likely to help when anonymity is assured, suggesting truly altruistic motivation versus situations where social recognition is possible?
  5. Stereotype Threat and Academic Performance
    Examine how awareness of negative stereotypes affects outcomes.
    Sample question: Does reminding female students of the “math gender gap” stereotype prior to testing impair their performance compared to a control condition?
  6. Group Dynamics and Decision-Making
    Study groupthink, polarization, and teamwork effectiveness.
    Sample question: What communication patterns predict groupthink symptoms in cohesive teams facing complex decisions?
  7. Aggression: Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis
    Test Dollard et al.’s classic theory in modern contexts.
    Sample question: Does daily stressor accumulation predict aggressive behavior more strongly than major life stressors, and does this relationship differ by gender?
  8. Attitude Change and Persuasion
    Investigate factors influencing opinion shifts.
    Sample question: Are central route arguments (high quality) or peripheral cues (source attractiveness) more persuasive for individuals with high need for cognition?
  9. Interpersonal Attraction and Relationships
    Study what draws people together.
    Sample question: Do similarity in values or complementarity in personality traits better predict long-term relationship satisfaction?
  10. Cultural Differences in Self-Construal
    Explore independent vs. interdependent self-concepts.
    Sample question: How do cultural background and social context interact to shape self-description and emotional experience?

Educational & School Psychology

  1. Growth Mindset and Academic Achievement
    Investigate Dweck’s mindset theory in classroom settings.
    Sample question: Does teaching students that intelligence is malleable (growth mindset) lead to improved grades and increased resilience after failure compared to fixed mindset messaging?
  2. Test Anxiety Interventions
    Study techniques for reducing exam-related stress.
    Sample question: What combination of relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, and study skills instruction most effectively reduces test anxiety and improves performance?
  3. Classroom Management Strategies
    Compare disciplinary approaches and outcomes.
    Sample question: How do restorative justice practices compare to traditional punitive disciplinary measures in reducing repeat offenses and improving school climate?
  4. Learning Styles: Myth or Reality?
    Critically examine the popular concept’s validity.
    Sample question: Does matching instruction to self-reported learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) produce better learning outcomes than standardized multi-modal instruction?
  5. Bullying Prevention Programs
    Evaluate effectiveness of anti-bullying interventions.
    Sample question: Which components of whole-school anti-bullying programs (curriculum, policy changes, peer mediation) are most strongly associated with reduced bullying incidents?
  6. Early Literacy Interventions
    Study reading readiness and support programs.
    Sample question: Are phonics-based interventions more effective than whole-language approaches for preventing reading difficulties in at-risk kindergarteners?
  7. Teacher Expectations and Student Performance
    Examine self-fulfilling prophecy effects.
    Sample question: Do teacher expectations early in the school year predict student achievement growth independent of prior performance, and how are expectations communicated?
  8. Gifted Education: Acceleration vs. Enrichment
    Compare approaches for high-ability students.
    Sample question: Does grade acceleration produce different long-term outcomes (academic achievement, social adjustment) compared to subject-specific enrichment programs?
  9. Inclusive Education and Peer Attitudes
    Study mainstreaming effects on all students.
    Sample question: Does contact with students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms reduce prejudice and increase prosocial behavior among typically developing peers?
  10. Motivation: Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic
    Investigate how different motivational factors affect learning.
    Sample question: When does reward use (stickers, grades) undermine intrinsic motivation for academic tasks, and what boundary conditions apply?

Health & Biological Psychology

  1. Stress and Immune Function
    Explore the connection between psychological stress and physical health.
    Sample question: Does chronic perceived stress predict lower antibody response to vaccination in healthy adults?
  2. Exercise and Mental Health
    Study how physical activity affects mood and cognition.
    Sample question: What type of exercise (aerobic, resistance, yoga) and frequency is most effective for reducing symptoms of mild to moderate depression?
  3. Sleep Quality and Cognitive Performance
    Investigate effects of sleep on memory, attention, and decision-making.
    Sample question: How do different dimensions of sleep (duration, efficiency, timing) differentially affect specific cognitive functions in college students?
  4. Diet and Mood: Gut-Brain Connection
    Explore nutritional influences on psychological well-being.
    Sample question: Does adherence to a Mediterranean diet correlate with lower rates of depression and anxiety, and what mediating role does gut microbiome play?
  5. Pain Perception: Psychological Factors
    Study how cognition and emotion modulate pain experience.
    Sample question: Can placebo-based expectancy manipulation significantly reduce experimentally-induced pain, and what neural mechanisms underlie this effect?
  6. Hormonal Influences on Mood
    Investigate effects of sex hormones and stress hormones.
    Sample question: How do fluctuations in estrogen across the menstrual cycle interact with stress reactivity to predict mood symptoms in women with vs. without PMS?
  7. Biofeedback and Anxiety Management
    Evaluate techniques for physiological self-regulation.
    Sample question: Is heart rate variability biofeedback more effective than progressive muscle relaxation for reducing generalized anxiety symptoms?
  8. Epigenetics and Early Life Stress
    Study how experiences alter gene expression.
    Sample question: Does childhood adversity predict differential methylation of stress-related genes (e.g., NR3C1) in adulthood, and does this mediate later mental health outcomes?
  9. Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation
    Explore brain changes following injury or intervention.
    Sample question: Can constraint-induced movement therapy drive measurable cortical reorganization and functional improvement in stroke survivors?
  10. Circadian Rhythms and Mood Disorders
    Investigate connections between biological clocks and emotional health.
    Sample question: Does phase-shifting light therapy advance circadian rhythms and improve depressive symptoms in individuals with delayed sleep phase disorder?

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

  1. Leadership Styles and Team Performance
    Compare autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire approaches.
    Sample question: How do transformational and transactional leadership styles differentially predict team innovation, satisfaction, and objective performance metrics?
  2. Employee Motivation: Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Rewards
    Study what drives workplace engagement and productivity.
    Sample question: Does emphasizing meaningful work purpose combined with autonomy produce higher long-term engagement than purely commission-based incentive structures?
  3. Workplace Stress and Burnout
    Investigate causes and interventions for occupational burnout.
    Sample question: Are high job demands combined with low job control (job strain model) predictive of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment?
  4. Person-Organization Fit
    Explore how values alignment affects job outcomes.
    Sample question: Does perceived similarity between personal and organizational values predict higher job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and lower turnover intentions?
  5. Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
    Study effectiveness of diversity initiatives.
    Sample question: Do mandatory diversity training programs produce lasting attitude and behavior change, or can they sometimes trigger backlash effects?
  6. Remote Work Productivity
    Investigate outcomes of telecommuting and flexible arrangements.
    Sample question: How does work-from-home affect productivity, work-life boundary management, and team cohesion compared to traditional office work?
  7. Selection Methods and Predictive Validity
    Compare hiring tools like interviews, tests, and assessments.
    Sample question: What is the incremental validity of structured behavioral interviews over cognitive ability tests for predicting job performance across different occupations?
  8. Training Program Evaluation
    Study how to assess effectiveness of employee development.
    Sample question: Which types of training transfer strategies (goal-setting, relapse prevention, follow-up coaching) most strongly support application of learned skills on the job?
  9. Counterproductive Work Behaviors
    Investigate theft, sabotage, and withdrawal.
    Sample question: Are perceived organizational justice and psychological contract breach significant predictors of counterproductive work behaviors?
  10. Work-Life Balance Policies
    Examine effects of family-friendly workplace programs.
    Sample question: Does organizational support for work-life balance (flex time, parental leave, childcare) predict lower turnover and higher organizational citizenship behaviors?

Forensic & Legal Psychology

  1. Eyewitness Memory Reliability
    Study factors affecting accuracy of witness testimony.
    Sample question: How does exposure duration, weapon focus, and post-event information influence the accuracy and confidence of eyewitness identification?
  2. Jury Decision-Making
    Investigate how jurors process evidence and reach verdicts.
    Sample question: Do inadmissible but highly emotional pieces of evidence bias juror decisions even when judges instruct them to disregard the information?
  3. False Confessions: Why Innocent People Admit
    Examine psychological mechanisms underlying wrongful admissions.
    Sample question: What interrogation techniques (minimization, maximization, false evidence ploy) are most likely to produce false confessions among vulnerable populations (youth, those with intellectual disabilities)?
  4. Risk Assessment for Violence
    Study tools for predicting recidivism and dangerousness.
    Sample question: How accurate are actuarial risk assessment instruments compared to clinical judgment in predicting violent reoffending among released offenders?
  5. Moral Development in Juvenile Offenders
    Compare ethical reasoning in delinquent vs. non-delinquent youth.
    Sample question: Do juvenile offenders show delays or differences in moral reasoning stages compared to matched non-offending peers, and what interventions show promise for promoting development?
  6. Insanity Defense: Public Understanding vs. Legal Reality
    Investigate misconceptions about the insanity plea.
    Sample question: What are the public’s beliefs about frequency and success rates of insanity pleas compared to actual courtroom statistics, and how does this gap affect juror decision-making?
  7. Polygraph Accuracy and Admissibility
    Evaluate lie detection technology and its legal standing.
    Sample question: What is the current evidence base for polygraph accuracy in detecting deception, and how do different scoring methods (global vs. point-wise) compare?
  8. Psychology of Police Interrogations
    Study interrogation tactics and their effects on suspects.
    Sample question: Which interrogation techniques yield true confessions most effectively while minimizing false confessions and rights violations?
  9. Child Witness Testimony
    Investigate reliability and suggestibility of children’s accounts.
    Sample question: How do interview techniques (open-ended vs. leading questions, repeated questioning) affect the accuracy and completeness of children’s reports of suspected abuse?
  10. Competency to Stand Trial
    Examine legal and psychological criteria for fitness.
    Sample question: What proportion of defendants referred for competency evaluations are found incompetent, and what restoration programs successfully return what percentage to competency?

How to Turn a Broad Topic into a Specific Research Question

Identifying a topic is just the first step. The real work begins when you refine it into a specific, testable research question. Here’s a step-by-step process:

Step 1: Start Broad, Then Narrow

Begin with your general area (e.g., “memory”). Then add constraints: age group (college students, older adults, children), context (educational, clinical, everyday), variable type (strategies, disorders, interventions). Each constraint makes your topic more specific and researchable.

Step 2: Conduct Preliminary Literature Search

Before committing, search databases like PsycINFO, PubMed, Google Scholar. If you find thousands of studies on your exact question, it may be too saturated. If you find almost nothing, it may be too narrow or not researchable. Aim for a middle ground: relevant literature exists, but gaps or inconsistencies remain that you can address.

Step 3: Apply the FINER Criteria

Evaluate your proposed question using these standards:

  • Feasible: Can you actually do this with your resources?
  • Interesting: Does it engage your curiosity? (You’ll work on it for months.)
  • Novel: Does it contribute something new, even if small?
  • Ethical: Can you conduct it without harming participants?
  • Relevant: Does it matter to the field, practitioners, or society?

Step 4: Phrase It as a Clear Question

Good research questions typically start with: How does X affect Y? What is the relationship between A and B? Does intervention C improve outcome D compared to control E? They are clear, focused, and complex enough to require data analysis to answer, not just a simple lookup.

Step 5: Get Feedback

Discuss your question with professors, peers, or academic writing consultants. They can spot problems you might miss and suggest refinements.

APA Format Basics for Psychology Papers

Your research paper must follow APA 7th edition format to meet academic standards. According to APA guidelines for undergraduate psychology papers, the essential elements include:

General Formatting

  • 1-inch margins on all sides
  • Double-spacing throughout (including references)
  • 12 pt. Times New Roman, Arial (11 pt), or Calibri (11 pt) font
  • Page numbers top right
  • Paragraph indents of 0.5 inches

Required Sections

  1. Title Page: Title, author name, department/institution, course name, instructor, due date.
  2. Abstract: 150-250 word summary of the paper. On its own page.
  3. Introduction: Background, literature review, statement of problem, hypotheses.
  4. Method: Participants, materials/apparatus, procedure.
  5. Results: Statistical findings, presented with appropriate tables/figures.
  6. Discussion: Interpretation, implications, limitations, future directions.
  7. References: hanging indents, alphabetical order, complete citation details.

Proper formatting shows attention to detail and helps readers navigate your work. For detailed guidance, consult the APA Style website or your university’s writing center.

Next Steps: From Topic to Final Paper

Selecting your research topic is an important milestone, but it’s just the beginning. Here’s what comes next:

  1. Deep Literature Review: Search databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, Google Scholar) for peer-reviewed articles on your topic. Read systematically, take notes, synthesize findings, and identify gaps your research can address.
  2. Develop Your Research Question and Hypotheses: Based on the literature, craft precisely worded research questions and, if applicable, directional hypotheses with operational definitions of variables.
  3. Prepare Your Methodology: Decide on participants, materials, procedures, and analysis plan. Ensure your design allows you to answer your research question. Seek approval from your Institutional Review Board (IRB) if human participants are involved.
  4. Collect and Analyze Data: Conduct your study, gather data, and perform appropriate statistical analyses following APA reporting standards.
  5. Write and Revise: Draft your paper following the APA structure. The introduction typically goes last after results are known. Write clearly, cite sources properly, and use editing services if needed to polish your final draft.
  6. Format and Proofread: Apply APA formatting meticulously. Check citations, references, tables, and figures. A clean, correctly formatted paper demonstrates professionalism.

If any part of this process feels overwhelming, professional academic assistance can help. Whether you need help refining your research question, conducting literature review, writing specific sections, or polishing your final draft, expert support is available.

Related Guides

For additional help with your psychology papers and other academic assignments, explore these resources:

Summary & Next Steps

This guide provided more than 80 psychology research topic ideas spanning clinical, cognitive, developmental, social, educational, health, industrial-organizational, and forensic psychology. Each topic includes a sample research question demonstrating how to narrow a broad area into a specific, testable inquiry.

Key takeaways:

  • Choose topics that are feasible, original, ethical, specific, and relevant
  • Refine broad interests into precise research questions using the FINER criteria
  • Follow APA 7th edition format for structure and style
  • Seek help when needed—professional academic assistance can support any stage of your project

Ready to move forward? If you need expert help developing your research question, conducting literature review, or writing your psychology paper, contact us for a consultation. Our team of psychology specialists can guide you through every step.

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